HOUSTON—Carlos Lee drove in four runs for the second straight game, Brett Myers won his fourth consecutive decision and the Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 11-2 on Friday night.
Lee’s big night started with a two-run double that was part of a franchise-record six consecutive hits to start the first inning. The Astros took a 5-1 lead off rookie Drew Pomeranz (1-1), who was making his third major league start.
Lee became the first Astro to have consecutive four-RBI games since Lance Berkman on May 30-31, 2000, against Colorado.
Myers (7-13) struck out six, walked one and retired the last 11 batters he faced. Before starting his winning streak, Myers had lost seven straight decisions. He is 8-1 lifetime against Colorado.
Lee had an RBI single in the fourth and an RBI groundout in the fifth. Clint Barmes added a solo homer, his 12th, in the sixth.
Pomeranz lasted two innings, allowing seven hits and six earned runs. Pomeranz had allowed two earned runs in 10 2-3 innings in his first two starts.
J.B. Shuck led off the game for Houston with a single and scored on a double by Angel Sanchez to tie it 1-1. Lee’s double scored both runners and a double by Matt Downs and single by Chris Johnson made it 5-1.
Finally, Barmes flied out and Humberto Quintero and Myers struck out the end the inning.
Eric Young singled off Myers’ glove to open the game and scored on Dexter Fowler’s double. Pinch-hitter Tim Nelson hit a solo homer for the Rockies in the seventh off Lance Pendleton.
The Astros have had numerous games with five hits to start the first inning, most recently June 6, 2010, against the Cubs.
Notes: Colorado’s Matt Downs has 15 pinch-hit RBIs and needs three more to set a franchise record set in 2001 by Orlando Merced. Jordan Pacheco has nine RBIs in his first 14 major league starts for the Rockies. Carlos Gonzalez is the first player in Rockies history with consecutive seasons with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Henry Sosa doubled for his first career hit on Thursday. He was the sixth Astro to get his first major league hit this season.
