Ensberg's double lifts Astros past Dodgers

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Morgan Ensberg may not be an All-Star, but he continues to play like one.

Ensberg's double with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning scored rookie Willy Taveras with the winning run as the Houston Astros posted a 3-2 triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers .

Enjoying a breakthrough season, Ensberg was left off the National League All-Star team despite ranking near the top of the league in homers (23) and RBI (63). He has been the Astros' best offensive player and is hitting .290.

The speedy Taveras led off the ninth with an infield hit against Dodgers closer Yhency Brazoban (2-3). Craig Biggio sacrificed and Lance Berkman was walked intentionally, setting the stage for Ensberg.

Ensberg came through against the hard-throwing Brazoban, lofting a fly ball to deep right-center field that landed just shy of the warning track between Jason Repko and Cody Ross . It was the fourth time Ensberg won a game for the Astros this season in their final at-bat.

Astros All-Star closer Brad Lidge (3-2), who has been slowed by elbow problems, retired the side in order in the top of the ninth for the win.

The Astros got their usual stellar performance from All-Star Roger Clemens , who gave up two runs and eight hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out four.

In his 22nd season, the 42-year-old Clemens has showed no signs of slowing down. The 11-time All-Star is 7-3 with a 1.48 ERA.

Making his seventh career start, Dodgers rookie D.J. Houlton was up the task of facing the future Hall of Famer. Houlton allowed two runs, six hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings, striking out one.

Houlton entered the bottom of the seventh with a 2-1 lead and retired the first two batters before walking Biggio. Duaner Sanchez came on and surrendered an RBI triple to Berkman.

After Jason Lane lofted a sacrifice fly in the first to give the Astros the lead, the Dodgers reached Clemens in the fifth as Oscar Robles plated a run with a groundout and Jeff Kent delivered an RBI single.