PHILADELPHIA, May 8 (UPI) -- Pinch hitter Ricky Ledee's two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday night gave the Philadelphia Phillies their fifth straight victory, 5-3 over the Houston Astros.
Mike Lieberthal drew a leadoff walk in the ninth but was still at first with two out when Ledee batted for closer Jose Mesa and drove a 1-2 pitch from Nelson Cruz (0-3) over the right field wall.
It was the first homer of the season for Ledee, who had been mired in a 1-for-24 slump, and the fourth allowed by Cruz in just seven innings in 2002.
Mesa (1-1) entered in the top of the ninth to protect a 3-2 lead. But Orlando Merced doubled and scored the tying run on a single by Richard Hidalgo.
Philadelphia starter Brandon Duckworth allowed two runs in six innings and recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts, the most by a Phillies pitcher sine Curt Schilling fanned 13 on July 4, 1999.
