HOUSTON, May 26 (UPI) -- Lance Berkman homered for the seventh time in nine games Wednesday night to boost Houston over the Chicago Cubs, 7-3.
Jeff Bagwell belted just his second of the month for the Astros.
Since May 18, Berkman has hit .441 with six homers and 12 RBI. He went two for four Wednesday night with his 12th blast of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning that gave the Astros a 5-1 lead.
Bagwell, who had just one homer since April 21, got Houston on the board with an RBI single in the first. With one out and one on in the third, Bagwell deposited a 3-1 pitch by Greg Maddux over the left field wall for a 3-0 cushion.
Bagwell, whose next game will be the 2,000th of his career, remained one homer behind Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox for 34th on the all-time list with 426.
Jeff Kent followed with his seventh homer, giving the Astros their first back-to-back homers of the season. The shot also extended Kent's hitting streak to 12 games.
