NLDS: Astros bats get hot in 10-5 win

ATLANTA - There's more to the Houston Astros than pitching.

Morgan Ensberg had five RBIs, Andy Pettitte overcame two homers for his record-tying 14th postseason win and the Astros got started on what they hope will be another October conquest of Atlanta, beating the Braves 10-5 in Game 1 of their National League division series Wednesday.

"We've still got some pretty good bats here," said Craig Biggio, a leftover from the Killer Bs who was in the middle of things all game. "We just have to manufacture things a little differently."

The good-pitching, weak-hitting Astros - they led the NL in ERA but ranked 11th in runs - had no trouble scoring on the Braves. Atlanta passed up the chance to start the playoffs with John Smoltz, who came in as the winningest pitcher in postseason history.

Smoltz will start against Roger Clemens tonight.

"We need to win one here, that's for sure," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "But it's pretty easy to shake off. We've got Smoltzie going."

Pettitte tied Smoltz for most postseason wins, improving to 14-8. The left-hander allowed four hits over seven innings.

Braves starter Tim Hudson gave up five runs in 62/3 innings, the most he had allowed since a June 13 loss at Texas, which preceded a stint on the disabled list.

"I didn't hold up my end of the bargain," Hudson said. "We scored five runs. We should have won."

Hudson walked five, tying a season high, and hit a batter.

Houston turned a 5-3 game into a blowout with a five-run eighth against the shaky Braves bullpen.

Biggio had two hits, a sacrifice fly, a sac bunt and a walk in six trips to the plate. He scored three times.

Ensberg tied a Houston postseason record with his five RBIs. He had a run-scoring single in the first, a two-run single in the third, a run-scoring single in the seventh and walked with the bases loaded in the eighth, when 11 Astros batted against Chris Reitsma, John Foster and Jim Brower.

Manager Phil Garner flip-flopped his lineup to get Lance Berkman hitting ahead of Ensberg, who dropped to cleanup. The Braves walked Berkman three times.

[Last modified October 6, 2005, 01:14:18]