MLB

• Kent gives Dodgers a victory over the Astros

  
  

  Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Jeff Kent stroked a solo home run in the 11th inning, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros in the second installment of a four-game series at Minute Maid Park.

  Russell Martin was 3-for-5 with three runs batted in and three runs scored, including a two-run homer, while Kent finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. James Loney added two hits and an RBI for Los Angeles, which snapped a two-game slide.

  Chan Ho Park (4-2) picked up the win with 1 1/3 scoreless frames.

  Carlos Lee was 4-for-5 with two RBI and Ty Wigginton blasted a three-run homer for Houston, which had a three-game win streak halted. Wesley Wright (3-3) was saddled with the loss, allowing Kent's home run in two innings of work.

  Kent smoked a one-out offering from Wright in the 11th out to the seats in left, for his ninth home run of the season and Takashi Saito came on to record a perfect 11th to earn his 13th save of the season.

  Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw pitched well before running into trouble in the sixth, having allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while fanning four in 5 2/3 frames. He remained winless in eight starts this season with the no-decision.

  Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez was touched for five runs on six hits and four walks with five strikeouts in five innings, also recording a no- decision.

  Los Angeles staked Kershaw to an early lead on a two-run homer from Martin in the first. Delwyn Young worked a one-out walk before Martin deposited a second-pitch fastball to the seats in left.

  Houston answered with a run in the home half. Michael Bourn doubled to center leading off and scored on a Hunter Pence single back up the middle.

  The Dodgers went on to post single runs over a four-inning stretch to take a 6-1 lead.

  In the third, Martin doubled to left and scored on a Loney RBI single to right field.

  Andre Ethier singled through the right side to start the fourth, moved to second on a sacrifice and scored when Matt Kemp ripped a two-out double to left. Martin walked to start the fifth and scored on a Kent double to left.

  Oscar Villarreal started the sixth by walking two of the first three batters before Martin plated a run with an RBI single to left.

  Houston cut the lead to 6-4 with one swing in the sixth.

  Kershaw walked Lance Berkman to start the frame and Miguel Tejada singled around two outs before Kershaw was lifted in favor of Brian Falkenborg. Wigginton took Falkenborg's third pitch out to right field for a three-run shot.

  The Astros went back to work in the seventh. Hong-Chih Kuo started the inning and issued a one-out walk to Bourn. Jonathan Broxton then entered, issuing an intentional free pass to Berkman after recording the second out. Lee followed by belting a two-run double to left, tying the game at six.

  After a series of scoreless frames, the Dodgers got a one-out double from Luis Maza in the 10th but Wright got a pop out and retired Young on strikes for the third out.

  Houston got a leadoff single from Lee but Park retired the next three in order, sending it on to the 11th.

  Game Notes Houston is now 4-4 in the midst of a 10-game homestand...Astros starters have allowed three or fewer earned runs in 12 of their last 15 games...Wednesday's scheduled starters are Hiroki Kuroda (3-6) for Los Angeles and Runelvys Hernandez (0-1) for Houston...Loney led the National League with a .362 average (34-for-94) in June....The Dodgers bullpen had a scoreless streak of 15 2/3 innings snapped by Wigginton's homer in the sixth...Houston is 4-1 in five meetings with Los Angeles this season and edged out the 2007 season series 4-3...Berkman had a seven-game hitting streak halted.

  07/02 03:31:16 ET