Astros  6    Twins  5

Recap: Minnesota vs. Houston

Sports Network | June 20, 2009

Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Michael Bourn stroked the go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning as Houston edged Minnesota, 6-5, in the middle contest of a three-game interleague series.

Ivan Rodriguez drove in two runs for the Astros, who are 4-4 on a nine-game road trip. Lance Berkman also homered to account for his 999th career RBI.

Brian Moehler (4-4) allowed four hits and three runs over six innings to get the victory, while Jose Valverde worked around a two-out double in the ninth to log his fourth save.

Jason Kubel slugged a two-run homer, while Joe Mauer, Brendan Harris and Delmon Young added solo shots for the Twins, who entered the game with victories in five of their last seven tries.

Mauer's 14th home run set a career-high, eclipsing the 13 he had in 2006. It also extended his hitting streak to 12 games. He's hitting .417 this season. His average has been at or above .400 at the end of every game this year except one.

Scott Baker surrendered six hits and three runs over 6 1/3 innings, also striking out six batters in the start for the Twins. Sean Henn (0-3) retired one batter and suffered the loss.

Houston trailed 3-1 moving to the seventh, but scored four times to move in front. Hunter Pence doubled with one out and scored on a Rodriguez single to right. Henn then relieved Baker, but gave up an RBI double to Jason Michaels. With two outs, Bourn lined a homer over the wall in right, causing two souvenir baseballs to carom down from the stands.

Berkman homered to right field with two outs in the eighth off Luis Ayala before Kubel made it a one-run contest with his blast in the bottom of the frame off LaTroy Hawkins.

Jose Morales laced a pinch-hit double with two outs in the ninth, but pinch- hitter Joe Crede flied out to deep right field to end the game.

Harris homered leading off the bottom of the first and Young belted a ball over the wall in left-center with two down in the second.

Rodriguez doubled in Pence in the fifth, but Mauer made it a 3-1 contest by leading off the sixth with a homer to left-center.

Twins second baseman Nick Punto departed the game with bruised left ribs in seventh inning. The injury came perhaps as a result of a head-first slide Punto had trying to beat out a ground ball in the fifth inning...The Astros activated pitcher Geoff Geary off the 15-day disabled list Saturday and sent his contract outright to Triple-A Round Rock. With the move, Geary can either accept the demotion to the minors or elect to become a free agent...With one more RBI, Berkman will become the third player in Astros history to drive in as many as 1,000 runs, joining Jeff Bagwell (1,529) and Craig Biggio (1,175) ...Before Saturday, Houston's bullpen had not allowed an earned run in its last 17 1/3 innings...Despite the loss, the Twins have won eight of their last 12 meetings against the Astros...Kubel has an 11-game hitting streak.