Lyon: Two losses in SD (c) Associated Press

But the bad news was another 3-2 loss as Brandon Lyon filled the bases in the bottom of the ninth before Tony Gwynn, Jr. spanked a single through the drawn-in infield to send the holiday crowd home happy.

A double-clutch by shortstop Oswaldo Navarro in the fourth that prevented a force out to end the inning was followed by a two-run single from Aaron Cunningham that gave the Padres their only two runs off Houston starter Brett Myers who must, by now, long for the days when he had Ryan Howard and friends scoring runs in bunches for him. Myers now has a 3.57 ERA and has had only one truly bad start the first half of the season.

Curiously, red-hot rookie Chris Johnson didn't start. Berkman and Keppinger got four of the Astros' five hits. The other was a leadoff double by Jason Michaels in the seventh that failed to turn into a critical run.

Another hitter absent from the lineup was Michael Bourn, benched for Michaels against a lefthander, but he still had to be happy to learn he would be Houston's representative at next week's All-Star Game in Anaheim.

On the other end of the spectrum, Geoff Blum was put on the 15-day disabled list with an elbow injury. Jason Bourgeois, who was slated to return to Round Rock when Angel Sanchez was added to the roster, instead stays to take Blum's spot.

The Astros take Monday off to return to Houston before taking on Pittsburgh and St. Louis in a six-game homestand before the All-Star Break. First up is the last-place Buccos who will start Tuesday's 7:05 Central contest with Lake Jackson's Brad Lincoln (1-2). Wandy Rodriguez (5-10) takes the hill for Houston.