HOUSTON (AP) -- Pitching to Morgan Ensberg isn't any easier than

facing Lance Berkman.

Maybe now, teams will finally learn.

Ensberg hit a two-run double in the sixth inning after Livan

Hernandez intentionally walked Berkman to load the bases, giving

the Houston Astros the cushion they later needed to beat the

Washington Nationals 7-6 Wednesday night.

It was the third time since July 8 that Ensberg has made a team

pay for intentionally walking Berkman to get to him. The first was

a game-winning double against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the

second an RBI single against Pittsburgh on July 20.

"It's probably the right move," said Ensberg, who has

previously been upset when teams pitched around Berkman. "Lance

Berkman is a great left-handed hitter. They're just looking for an

out, and the book says go righty versus righty."

Brad Lidge got the save despite a shaky ninth, striking out

pinch-hitter Jose Guillen with runners at the corners to end it.

Houston moved two games ahead of Washington in the NL wild-card

race.

Craig Biggio also had a run-scoring double and four hits for the

Astros, who resumed their home dominance after dropping the series

opener Tuesday. The Astros are 37-16 at Minute Maid Park, where

they have not lost consecutive games since June 4 and will play

their next 11.

Jose Vidro and Hernandez homered for the Nationals, who are

struggling in one-run games. Once baseball's best team in close

games -- Washington had a stretch of 12 straight wins in one-run

games before the All-Star break -- the Nationals have dropped 13 of

their last 14 games decided by one run.

"These will come back to haunt you in the end," Nationals

manager Frank Robinson said. "We just can't keep making mistakes,

squandering opportunities, because it will cost us against the

better ballclubs."

Washington's first two batters reached in the ninth against

Lidge, but Vidro lined into a double play when Berkman -- who moved

from left field to first base in the ninth for defense -- made a

diving catch and Brandon Watson was caught off the bag.

After Nick Johnson's RBI double and Brad Wilkerson's run-scoring

single, Lidge fanned Guillen for his 28th save in 31 chances.

Wandy Rodriguez (7-5) lasted five innings and earned the win

despite struggling against Hernandez (13-5). The Nationals' starter

also had an RBI double and a single.

But Hernandez's hitting was not enough to make up for dreadful

innings in the first and sixth. Orlando Palmeiro cleared the bases

in the first with a three-run double deep down the right-field

line, capping a four-run inning.

Hernandez is 1-3 in his last seven starts. He allowed seven runs

-- five earned -- and 10 hits, the third consecutive start that he's

allowed 10 or more hits.

"Nobody is perfect all the time," said Hernandez, whose five

earned runs allowed were a season high. "I felt very good tonight

but I had lots of problems in the fist inning."

The Nationals have not strung together back-to-back wins on the

road since July 3. They are 3-9 away from Washington since the

All-Star break and are two games into an 11-game road swing, their

longest of the season.

Vidro's homer in the first was his seventh.Game notes
Guillen's appearance in the ninth was his first since he

was taken out of the lineup Saturday because of a sore shoulder.

... Biggio snapped an 0-for-12 slump with his season-high four

hits. ... The Nationals had been 0-for-15 with runners in scoring

position before Hernandez's double to score Preston Wilson. ...

Hernandez entered 4-0 in four career starts at Minute Maid Park.

... Willy Taveras is 5-for-8 in the series. His 40 multihit games

are the most by an Astros rookie since Jeff Bagwell had 41 in 1991.