Turning point

Joel Peralta failed to catch a throw from shortstop Clint Barmes that would have completed an inning-ending double play in the seventh. It was the 11th error by a Rockies pitcher _ the team has committed 33 _ and it allowed Carlos Lee, who was on second base, to score the go-ahead run and give the Astros a 5-4 lead.

At the plate

Ian Stewart hit a three-run homer with one out in the fifth to tie the game at 3. The homer came after Brad Hawpe, who went 2-for-2 with two intentional walks, led off with a single, and Seth Smith singled with one out. …Dexter Fowler led off the sixth with a double and scored the Rockies fourth run after a bunt single by Clint Barmes, who had two hits, and Todd Helton’s sacrifice fly. The run was a gift, since center fielder Michael Bourn made an ill-advised dive on Fowler’s ball and neither pitcher Brian Moehler nor third baseman Geoff Blum were there to field Barmes’ sacrifice bunt attempt. …Hunter Pence tied the game with a leadoff homer in the seventh, and went 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. He singled home the first of three runs in the first and singled home Houston’s final run in the eighth. …Bourn and Blum each had two singles.

On the mound

Jason Marquis gave up four straight singles in the first and five in all in that inning, when the Astros scored three runs. Marquis then gave up just three hits over the next five innings before Pence’s homer followed by Carlos Lee’s single to start the seventh ended his night. Marquis stranded runners at first and second in the third by getting Edwin Maysonet to ground into a fielder’s choice and with one out and runners on first and third in the fifth got Ivan Rodriguez to ground into a double play. …Brian Moehler gave up seven hits and four runs in six innings before winning pitcher Tim Byrdak (one scoreless inning) and Chris Sampson (two) finished up. Sampson, who earned his third save, got Garrett Atkins to fly out to end the eighth with runners on first and second, having intentionally walked Hawpe after Helton’s double to get to Atkins. And with two out in the ninth and runners on first and second, Sampson got Fowler to fly out and end the game.

Numbers game
10 hits allowed by Marquis, matching his season-high. He also gave up 10 hits to the Astros on May 13 in a start that lasted 3 2/3 innings.