Kubel's 3 HRs, 6 RBIs lead Arizona romp - CBS 5 - KPHO

PHOENIX (AP) -- Jason Kubel became the seventh player in Diamondbacks' history to homer three times in a game, driving in six runs as Arizona dominated the Houston Astros for the second straight game, 12-3 on Saturday night.

Kubel hit a two-run home run in the first inning and a three-run shot in the fourth off starter Dallas Keuchel (1-2). He added a solo homer off reliever Enerio Del Rosario in the sixth. He struck out in his other two at-bats.  With the first three-homer game of his career, Kubel leads the NL with 70 RBIs.

Wade Miley (11-5) gave up a run and four hits in seven innings, striking out a career-high nine while setting a franchise rookie record for victories.  The Astros lost their fifth straight and 18th in 20 games.

Kubel, signed as a free agent in the offseason, is one of six players to hit three home runs in a game this season. That includes Josh Hamilton, who hit four. Kubel has 20 home runs, including a two-homer game Thursday in Cincinnati.

Willie Bloomquist went 3-for-4 with three RBIs for the Diamondbacks. Aaron Hill singled in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.  The Diamondbacks, on the opening weekend of a 10-game homestand, have outscored the Astros 25-11 in the first two games of the series.

Keuchel, called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City for the start after J.A. Happ was sent to Toronto on Thursday in a 10-player trade, allowed seven runs and seven hits and walked four in 3 1-3 innings.  Kubel gave Miley a quick lead in the first. Hill walked with one out, then the Arizona slugger hit Keuchel's 2-2 pitch just over the fence in left field, a two-run opposite-field shot,

The Astros cut it to 2-1 in the fourth. Justin Maxwell led off with a grounds-rule double and J.D. Martinez walked. Miley got Ben Francisco to pop out, then fanned Matt Downs, but Chris Johnson's single brought Maxwell home. Chris Snyder walked to load the bases before Keuchel grounded out to end the inning.

Kubel's first-pitch homer highlighted Arizona's five-run fourth inning that made it 7-1. Arizona added two in the fifth on Bloomquist's single that brought home Chris Young and Ryan Roberts, both of whom had walked. Kubel hit a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left-center leading off the sixth to make it 10-1. The crowd of 35,665 stood and cheered until Kubel came out and tipped his cap in appreciation.  Third base umpire Kerwin Danley left in the middle of the sixth inning to attend to an unspecified personal matter.

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