Shortstop Miguel Tejada, first baseman Lance Berkman and left fielder Carlos Lee were shuffled in the batting lineup for the second time this year, putting Berkman and Lee back where they hit most of last season.
Tejada was dropped back to fifth in the batting order. He was replaced at third in the order by Berkman, who had hit cleanup. Now Lee moves down from fifth to cleanup, the spot he prefers. Tejada, Berkman and Lee had hit 3-4-5 since April 17 after starting the season with Berkman hitting third, followed by Lee and Tejada.
Manager Cecil Cooper dropped Tejada to fifth in the order for Saturday's game, moving Berkman up to third and Lee to fourth. That was the order the Astros used in 15 of the first 16 games of the season.
"We think it's something that shakes us a little bit," Cooper said. "Those three guys are pretty much interchangeable."
But Cooper later said the absence of the injured Kaz Matsui also played into his decision.
"We tried to get a little on-base percentage in there, and (Berkman) is the best guy for that," Cooper said. "When we were rolling pretty good, there were a lot of guys on in front of him."
Berkman would rather hit fourth, but he won't complain.
"Once the game starts, it doesn't really matter," he said.
ASTROS 3, RED SOX 2: Mark Loretta had the winning hit against his former team as he connected on a pinch-hit RBI single that broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning. Starter Brian Moehler allowed just one run and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings, while RHP Doug Brocail (4-3) set the Red Sox in order in the eighth, finishing with three strikeouts over 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory Sunday.
