Bob Boone knew Lance Berkman was trouble.

Pitching coach Don Gullett talks with reliever Danny Graves and Reds infielders with bases loaded in the top of the 10th inning, before the Astros scored the winning run. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        “He probably should scare me more than (Barry) Bonds,” the Reds manager said. “He's hit us better than anyone in my two years here.”

        That remark came Monday, on the eve of the Reds-Astros series. Tuesday night, Boone's fears were realized via a two-homer, five-RBI night by Berkman as the Astros beat the Reds 6-5 in 10 innings at Cinergy Field.

        Pinch hitter Gregg Zaun won it for Houston with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off Reds closer Danny Graves (3-2) in the 10th inning. But Berkman did all the rest, with five of his club's six RBI. He hit three homers in a game at Cincinnati in April.

        Does Berkman like it in Cincinnati? Why, yes.

        “Absolutely,” he said. “Here, Enron (Houston) and Coors (Colo rado). But I guess I should say Minute Maid.”

Houston's Lance Berkman watches his two-run home run as he runs to first in the first inning. (Associated Press photo) | ZOOM |

        That's the new name for the Houston park, after the Enron scandal. And it took just a few minutes for Berkman to light up the Reds, his two-run first-inning homer getting the Astros going off of right-hander Joey Hamilton.

        Berkman hurts others, too. The switch-hitting outfielder entered Tuesday leading the National League with 69 RBI and standing second with 25 homers.

        But when it's the Reds, Berkman really sprints to the bat rack.

        Berkman hit three homers April16 at Cinergy and added another homer the next day. He entered Tuesday hitting .500 vs.the Reds this season (7-for-14), with four homers and nine RBI. That included two hits and an RBI in Monday night's 7-5 Reds win to open the series.

        The Reds trail first-place St. Louis by one game in the National League Central. The Cardinals drilled the San Diego Padres 11-5.

Adan Dunn rounds the bases after hitting a HR into the yellow seats. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds' three-game winning streak was snapped, but Boone wasn't entirely displeased.

        “It was a great ballgame,” he said. “We didn't get the big hit like we'd been getting, but we battled back.”

        Hamilton was the victim of both Berkman homers. Hamilton lasted four innings and allowed five runs, but got off the hook when the Reds rallied from a 5-1 deficit to tie it 5-5 in the sixth.

        Berkman, the Astros' lone All-Star representative, walked in his third at-bat vs.Reds reliever Bruce Chen. He struck out in his fourth at-bat vs.Gabe White and was walked intentionally in the 10th by Graves with none out and Craig Biggio at second. Biggio had doubled down the left-field line to lead off the inning.

        “He's always hitting balls down the line,” Graves said of Biggio. “He cheated on me because he knows I'm coming with a slider. I wouldn't change it. That's been pretty successful for me.”

A leaping Sean Casey watches a wild throw from Barry Larkin sail into the dugout as Jeff Bagwell reaches base. . (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        The Astros proceeded to load the bases, with Zaun delivering a sacrifice fly to make it 6-5. Houston closer Billy Wagner allowed a single to Barry Larkin in the bottom of the 10th before Jason LaRue grounded into a game-ending double play.

        Adam Dunn, the Reds' only All-Star, answered Berkman with some thunder himself. After Berkman homered in his first two at-bats to give Houston a 5-1 lead, Dunn hit a mammoth home run into the yellow seats above right field. That cut Houston's lead to 5-2.

        LaRue had an RBI single in the second and an RBI double in the fourth, helping the Reds trim their deficit to 5-3 through four innings. The RBI were LaRue's first since June 11.

        The Reds tied it 5-5 in the sixth on an RBI double by Larkin and a suicide-squeeze bunt by pinch-hitter Wilton Guerrero. It was Guerrero's first RBI since April 30.

Astros 6, Reds 5 Reds box, runs Sullivan takes a (short) starring turn Reds Notebook: Sour feelings for Griffey Fans click, pick Damon and A. Jones as All-Stars Record 62 homers hit Tuesday Cardinals 11, Padres 5 Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 0 Giants 18, Rockies 5 Athletics 4, Twins 3 Orioles 3, Angels 0 Royals 7, Mariners 5

Westbrook signing a sign to Scott
Web polls put Xavier in top 20
C-USA loses commissioner to SEC
Miami losing AD to Minnesota
Tubby summons former assistant to UK
Keyer-Scott wins Women's Stroke Play
Kroger Classic tickets go on sale
Coming up this week

• Return to Reds front page...