Dodgers slam door on Astros

Nomar Garciaparra hit a go-ahead grand slam off Brad Lidge in the ninth inning for his first RBIs with the Dodgers, sending Los Angeles to a 6-2 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night in Houston.

Andy Pettitte held the Dodgers hitless until J.D. Drew homered with one out in the seventh inning to tie the score at 1. Lance Berkman's eighth-inning homer put Houston ahead again, but Lidge (0-1) couldn't hold the lead.

After Kenny Lofton tripled with one out, the All-Star closer walked J.D. Drew and Jeff Kent. Garciaparra then drove a 2-2 pitch to left-center for his sixth career slam and first since June 22, 2004, with Boston against Minnesota. He missed the first 17 games of the season with a strained muscle in his rib cage.

Mike Gallo replaced Lidge and gave up an RBI single to Dioner Navarro.

Lidge had been 7-for-7 on save opportunities this year. It was his first blown save since he gave up Albert Pujols' mammoth home run in Game 5 of the NL championship series last October against St. Louis. Lidge also had two losses in the World Series against the Chicago White Sox.

Danys Baez entered for the Dodgers with two on in the bottom of the ninth and closed it out for his sixth save. He got Brad Ausmus on a fly ball before Adam Everett grounded into a game-ending double play.

The Dodgers snapped the Astros' three-game winning streak. Houston had won seven of eight.

Garciaparra's shot spoiled the strongest start of the season by Pettitte, who yielded just one hit in seven innings. He struck out five and walked three.

Berkman connected off winner Takashi Saito (2-0).

Saito relieved starter Derek Lowe, who was almost as good as Pettitte. Lowe gave up one run and four hits in seven innings.

Ausmus had three of those hits, including an RBI double in the second.

For a while, it looked as though Ausmus' hit would be enough for Pettitte.

He got some help from his outfielders in the second. Preston Wilson made a leaping catch on the warning track in left to rob Garciaparra of extra bases, then Willy Taveras chased down Bill Mueller's deep fly to right-center.

With one out in the Astros' second, Jason Lane walked before Ausmus hammered Lowe's 2-2 pitch over Lofton's head in center. Lane scored easily as the ball rolled up Tal's Hill, the grassy ramp named for Astros president Tal Smith.