Hunter Pence hits pair of 3-run homers, Astros beat Marlins 14-6

Pence hits pair of 3-run HRs, Astros top Marlins

MIAMI — Hunter Pence hit a pair of three-run homers for a career-high six RBIs, powering the Houston Astros to a 14-6 victory over the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night.

Pence’s home runs highlighted a five-run first inning and a seven-run fourth that chased Ricky Nolasco (8-8). Florida had won five in a row.

Lance Berkman hit two RBI doubles in his first game in almost three weeks. He was activated earlier in the day after being on the disabled list with a strained left calf. Carlos Lee added three RBIs for the Astros.

Bud Norris (3-0) struck out six in five innings. He became the first pitcher to win his first three starts with Houston since Roger Clemens won his first seven in 2004.

NL batting leader Hanley Ramirez hit his 17th home run of the season and added a double for the Marlins.

Not even free-swinging Florida could outslug the Astros on this night.

Pence’s homer capped the big first inning. Berkman hit his second RBI double of the game in the second to put the Astros ahead 6-0.

But they were just getting started.

Pence hit another shot over the left-field scoreboard in the fourth, this time off reliever Tim Wood. Lee added a two-run single earlier in the inning, and by the time it was over, the Astros were ahead 13-3.

The Astros are finally starting to get healthy after weeks of injuries, and they hope it’s not too late to get back in playoff contention.

Berkman and reliever LaTroy Hawkins (left shoulder strain) were activated off the disabled list before the game. And three starting pitches — Roy Oswalt, Mike Hampton and Wandy Rodriguez — are all healthy again after being injured in the last few weeks.

Florida piled up 13 hits and has had at least 10 hits in a club-record nine straight games. But it’s the Marlins’ starting pitching — considered a strength for most of the year — that has been slumping lately.

The Marlins scattered runs throughout, with Ramirez’s two-run homer to straightaway center trimming Houston’s lead to 13-5 in the fourth.

The Astros never relented, with Geoff Blum’s eighth home run of the season stretching their lead to 14-5 in the eighth. Chris Coghlan extended his hitting streak to 11 games with an RBI single in the bottom half.

NOTES: Hampton (right knee) will make his regularly scheduled start Thursday in the finale of the four-game series against the Marlins, manager Cecil Cooper said. Hampton left Saturday’s start against Milwaukee after two innings with a sprain in his right knee. … Pence’s previous single-game career high for RBIs was five against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 31, 2007.