Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Lance Berkman scored the game-winning run on Carlos Lee's two-run double in the eighth inning and registered his first career 5-for-5 effort at the plate in Houston's come-from-behind 6-5 victory over the Washington Nationals at Minute Maid Park.

After Austin Kearns laced a line drive solo homer that gave Washington a one- run lead in the top of the eighth, Luis Ayala failed to hold the lead despite two quick outs. Miguel Tejada and Berkman singled to put runners of the corners for Lee, who drove a pitch the other way and passed a diving Kearns in right to plate the tying and go-ahead runs.

Jose Valverde, who has blown three saves this season, pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save.

Berkman's perfect plate performance resulted in two doubles, three singles, four runs scored and an RBI, while Lee finished with three hits and three RBI to fuel Houston's fourth straight win.

Doug Brocail (2-0) got the win despite allowing Kearns' home run, and starter Shawn Chacon battled through seven innings, getting tagged up four runs on eight hits and four walks, while fanning eight in yet another no-decision.

Aaron Boone and Nick Johnson added solo homers for the Nationals, who had won six of their previous seven.

Ayala (1-2) was credited with the loss after losing the lead, while Shawn Hill allowed three runs on eight hits and four walks in his 5 1/3 inning-start for Washington, which dropped the opener of the three-game series.

Johnson opened the scoring in the second by sending a Chacon change-up into the left field seats.

The Astros' deficit didn't last long, as Lee doubled home Berkman in the home half to tie it. Houston could have had more, but Michael Bourn struck out to thwart a bases-loaded opportunity.

Berkman recorded his NL-leading 32nd RBI of the season by willing a dribbler up the middle to score Kazuo Matsui, who doubled off Wily Mo Pena's glove in left to open the third.

The Nats brought the lead back in the fifth when Christian Guzman went the other way on an outside pitch, as the ball sliced away from Lee in left field to score Pena from second.

Ryan Zimmerman then unloaded on a fastball to the deepest part of the ballpark. Though the ball just missed being a two-run shot, Guzman easily crossed the plate for a 3-2 lead. Hunter Pence kept it a one-run game by throwing out Zimmerman at the plate following a Lastings Milledge single to right.

Pence then did it with his bat in the bottom of the inning, bringing home Berkman with a single, but the run was negated when pinch-hitter Boone smacked a 1-0 fastball out of the ballpark for his second homer in as many games in the Washington seventh.

The Nats squandered the lead again in the home seventh when reliever Saul Rivera was called for a balk with runners on the corners. His foot apparently went towards home before stepping off to check the runners, and Berkman was awarded home for another tie score.