The Stros losing campaign continued Saturday afternoon as the Padres beat them at the Juice Box for the second game in a row, 7-4.
The Stros are now 44-46 and have dropped four straight and eight of 10, falling two games below .500 for the first time since they were 0-2 on April 6. They remained a season-high 12 games behind the NL Central-leading Cards.
The Pads blew open the game with a five-run fifth. After Craig Biggio had another adventure in left field misjudging Burroughs‘ drive, Loretta hit a two-run homer on the next pitch. Game, set, match.
Roy O, who beat the Pads on July 7 for the fourth straight time, gave up seven runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. It was only the second time in his career that he’s allowed seven or more earned runs. Jason Lane hit an RBI grounder in the bottom of the fifth, Lance Berkman hit a two-run homer in the sixth and Jeff Bagwell homered in the eighth, his 12th of the season but first in 81 at-bats. Ouch.
The Rocket tries to pick up this moribund group of Stros in the Sunday matinee, as the Dodgers arrive on Monday for a three game set.