HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Craig Biggio's bases-loaded single off the glove of third baseman Chris Stynes scored Brad Ausmus and Brian Hunter as the Houston Astros scored five times in the ninth inning and defeated the Colorado Rockies, 8-7.
Rockies closer Jose Jimenez (0-1) started the ninth inning in a non-save situation. He allowed four straight singles and a pair of runs before getting Ausmus to ground out.
Orlando Merced then pinch-hit for Billy Wagner (1-0) and doubled to right field just under the glove of a diving Larry Walker. Richard Hidalgo scored and Ausmus went to third on the play. Jimenez intentionally walked Jose Vizcaino and Hunter pinch-ran for Merced. Biggio, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, then came through with the game-winner.
"He got the ball up over the plate and they put the barrel on it," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "They had three balls hit on the ground. If they'd been hit at people, he's out of the inning. But then they hit the ball early in the count and things went fast from there."
"This is really tough," Colorado first baseman Todd Helton said. "This is a game we should have won. It (stunk)."
After the game, Jimenez refused to talk to the media.
"It's tough for him right now," Colorado reliever Todd Jones said. "If we're going to do anything this year, we're going to have to rely on him. It's a lonely feeling for him right now."
Stynes and Helton had three hits apiece for Colorado, which has allowed 18 runs in the opening two games of the season.
The Rockies jumped ahead 3-0 with five straight two-out singles off Houston starter Wade Miller in the second inning.
In the fourth, Helton had an RBI single and a second run scored on an error by Hidalgo in right field.
Colorado was leading 6-2 when starter Aaron Cook was lifted after allowing an unearned run in the fourth. He surrendered eight hits and four walks.
Wagner, Houston's closer, pitched a scoreless inning as the Astros relief corps allowed six hits and two runs - one earned - in 5 2/3 innings.
"The bullpen gave us a chance," Biggio said. "Those guys did an awesome job."
The Astros have won seven of their last eight home games against the Rockies.
