GAME THREAD: NL: CINCINNATI (21-33) at HOUSTON (21-31)

Williams, Berkman help Astros end slide, defeat Reds

<h3>HOUSTON 10, CINCINNATI 2</h3>HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Astros looked to strugglingWoody Williams to end their long losing skid.

Williams pitched five effective innings and Carlos Lee's two-runsingle was part of a four-run third as the Astros posted a 10-2victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.

Lance Berkman added a three-run homer in the fifth for Houston,which snapped a 10-game slide, one short of the franchiserecord. The 1995 Astros dropped 11 in a row from August 17-28to earn that dubious club mark.

"To end this losing streak is great, no doubt about it,"Williams said. "It was a fun night for everyone. I'm sure it'sa load off everyone's mind."

Williams (2-7) yielded two runs, seven hits and two walks toearn just his second win of the season. Both of therighthander's victories have come against Cincinnati - the otherbeing a 3-2 win on May 9. He struck out a nine batters and isnow 10-5 lifetime vs. the Reds.

"I was most impressed with Woody, more than anything," Astroscatcher Brad Ausmus said. "He pitched well, and we needed himto pitch well."

It was also just the second time in his last 12 outings thatWilliams has received four or more runs of support. The40-year-old hadn't helped himself either, surrendering four ormore runs in his previous three starts.

"I finally had a good fastball and was able to spot it,"Williams said. "I made some pitches behind the count when I hadto, and they fouled some pitches off to let me get back in thecount."

Ausmus tripled to right-center field to lead off the inning.One out later, Craig Biggio hit an infield single, platingAusmus to give Houston a 1-0 lead.

After Mark Loretta singled to put runners on first and second,Carlos Lee plated both runners with a double to the left fieldwall. Rookie Hunter Pence followed with a double down the leftfield line to make it 4-0.

"There was a sense of relief, to finally get some big hits,"Biggio said. "We know we're all capable of doing it. You knewsooner or later it was going to end, and it was nice to end itin this fashion."

"Our offense put some runs on the board and Woody held 'emdown," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "It was a nice night,obviously one we definitely needed."

All the runs came off Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo (2-6),who was tagged for eight runs and 11 hits in five innings tolose his fourth consecutive decision. The righthander, who alsosurrendered four runs in the fifth, has allowed four, four-runinnings in his last three starts.

"You just show up to the park and do what got you to whereyou're at," Arroyo said. "That's the thing about a bad stretchin baseball, to me, is to not try to change things. The resultsaren't always an indication of how you're doing. I hit myspots and thought I had good stuff. Sometimes you get beataround the yard."

After an RBI single by Brandon Phillips and a run-scoring doubleby Scott Hatteberg cut the Reds' deficit to 4-2 in the fifth,the Astros responded again.

Biggio and Loretta had one-out singles in the bottom of theframe before Berkman hit his sixth homer just over theoutstretched glove of right fielder Ken Griffey Jr. to make it7-2.

"I'll take it right now, for sure," Berkman said.

The blast was Berkman's first home run in 69 at-bats dating toMay 9.

"I haven't felt very comfortable at all since the first day ofspring training until now," Berkman said. "I still don't feelcomfortable. It's one of those things you have to go through atsome point in your career."

Luke Scott added an RBI triple later in the inning to increasethe lead to six. Scott added an RBI single in the seventhinning, as did Adam Everett, to put the game out of reach.

"We got a lot of contributions from everyone," said Biggio, whohad three hits and is now 23 away from 3,000. "Guys feel goodwhen they contribute. A number of us are scuffling."

Edwin Encarnacion had four hits and Norris Hopper added two forCincinnati, which failed to earn its first sweep of the season.