Game of the Day | Pence to the rescue for Astros

HOUSTON — Houston Astros manager Cecil Cooper was completely optimistic when Hunter Pence, 0 for 5 to that point, went to the plate in the bottom of the 12th with the score tied at 6.

"I said to [bench coach] Jackie Moore, you know Hunter's 0 for 5 here. He's not getting out a sixth time," Cooper said.

Pence proved his manager right with a two-run homer to lead the Houston Astros to an 8-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

"It was time. I thought that was the perfect spot for him," Cooper said. "It was beautiful."

The home run to left field by Pence, in his second season, scored Lance Berkman and completed Houston's comeback for its third consecutive win. The Astros trailed by as many as four.

Mitch Stetter (1-1) gave up Pence's homer, his fourth of the season.

Pence seemed a bit surprised when told of Cooper's prediction.

"I didn't really think of it that way," he said. "You can't worry about your last at-bat. The only one I was worried about was that at-bat and just going up there and trying to find a way to get a hit."

Berkman had four runs batted in and tied his career high with four hits, including a homer and a pair of doubles.

With two outs in the 12th, Houston's Tim Byrdak (1-0) loaded the bases with walks but left fielder Darin Erstad caught J.J. Hardy's pop fly for the final out.

"We had our chances, but we needed to get big hits late in the game," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "We had runners in scoring position, we just never got those big hits."

Houston trailed by 2 entering the ninth and got singles from Erstad and Geoff Blum off closer Eric Gagne before Michael Bourn walked. Erstad scored on a ground out by Kaz Matsui to make it 6-5.

Miguel Tejada walked to load the bases before Gagne walked Berkman to tie it at 6. Carlos Lee grounded out to send it to the 10th.

"I put myself in positions I shouldn't have been in," Gagne said. "We played a really good game and I came in and messed it up."

Said Cooper: "The bullpen was outstanding today. They've all really thrown the ball well."