Brian Moehler pitches 6 strong innings, Houston Astros beat San Diego Padres 7-1

Moehler pitches 6 strong innings, Astros win 7-1

SAN DIEGO — Brian Moehler pitched six strong innings and the Houston Astros scored six runs in the fourth inning en route to a 7-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.

Moehler and two relievers held San Diego to five hits. San Diego has lost 11 of its last 16 home games, and seven of eight against the Astros dating to last season.

Moehler (5-4) struck out eight and held San Diego to four hits in winning his third straight decision. His only mistake was allowing Eliezer Alfonzo’s homer with two outs in the second.

San Diego was two-hit by Roy Oswalt on Monday night in a 3-1 Astros win.

Walter Silva retired the first 10 Astros batters before the game got out of hand in the fourth. Houston scored three runs on five singles and a walk before three more scored on third baseman Chase Headley’s throwing error on Moehler’s grounder with two outs.

Silva retired Michael Bourn on a soft liner to first to open the fourth, then allowed singles to Miguel Tejada, Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Geoff Blum that gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.

After Ivan Rodriguez flied out, Darin Erstad walked to load the bases and Kaz Matsui singled in a run. Moehler hit a grounder to Headley, who hesitated and stutter-stepped. His throw to first skipped past Adrian Gonzalez, clearing the bases.

Moehler walked four. After Alfonzo’s first homer of the season, only four Padres got as far as second base.

Silva (0-2) had his second straight short outing. He lasted only four innings, allowing five hits and six runs, three earned. On Friday, he went only 2 1-3 innings in a 12-2 loss at Texas, allowing seven hits and nine runs, eight earned.

NOTES: Tony Gwynn Jr. had two hits for San Diego. … The Padres say Friday night’s game against Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers is a sellout. That’s the night Ramirez will return from his 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy. … Gonzalez was back in the starting lineup after straining his right knee while sliding into third base in the fourth inning on Tuesday night and coming out as a precaution. He said he convinced manager Bud Black that he was OK. … Hall of Fame QB Troy Aikman is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Thursday afternoon’s game. The former Dallas Cowboys star is among the partnership led by Jeff Moorad that purchased about 35 percent of the Padres from John Moores earlier this year and has up to five years to buy the rest.