HOUSTON -- Morgan Ensberg admitted it "rips my heart out" to not be playing all the time, but made it abundantly clear that he has no issue with manager Phil Garner starting Mike Lamb at third base.

"We cannot ignore the fact that Mike is doing great," Ensberg said. "The guy is batting .420, for heaven's sake."

Lamb hit second Tuesday in the opener with the Giants. Entering the game, he was hitting .419 with two homers and four RBIs, and as a starter, he was 14-for-28, for a .500 average.

Hard to argue those numbers, especially when comparing them to Ensberg's, which are considerably lower. He's hitting .215 on the year and only .147 over 12 games in May. He has started one game since the homestand began Friday, and he has no guarantees that he'll be in the lineup in the immediate future.

Ensberg and Garner have discussed the recent turn of events, which will likely entail Lamb and Mark Loretta receiving much more playing time at Ensberg's position. That means Ensberg, who struck out in a pinch-hit appearance Tuesday, will probably sit more than he'll play. Ensberg wishes that was not the case, but he understands the move.

"When we're not winning, we don't have the luxury of allowing me to struggle," Ensberg said. "It's not fun being the guy that struggles, but I have a difficult time saying that Mike doesn't deserve to be playing. We're trying to get wins.

"The only thing that concerns me is that people would think that this is some kind of lip service. In my heart of hearts, I'm not going to tear down somebody playing my position and hope that he does poorly so that I can get back in there. That's not cool."

Lamb, who was 0-for-5 Tuesday, and Loretta have each produced numbers that merit their presence in the starting lineup. Loretta was hitting .355 over 24 games, including 12 starts -- four at second base, four at third and four at shortstop.

He spells Craig Biggio during day games when the team is on the road, but until Biggio reaches his 3,000th hit, Garner has to find other ways to give Loretta playing time. His weakest position is shortstop, so that leaves third base.

"There's basically three guys looking for time at third," Ensberg said. "They'll continue to go with the hot hand. That's the only place you can make changes.

"Right now, this isn't a situation where Morgan doesn't play ever again. This is a situation where the team is trying to win and I refuse to block that pursuit because the game is not going the way I'd like it. I have been hitting the ball hard. There is no disputing that. The ball has not landed, and there is nothing I can do about that. It definitely rips my heart out that I am not playing all the time. But I don't want to be that guy [who complains about playing time]."

Berkman weighs in: Count Lance Berkman as one Astro who feels strongly that Commissioner Bud Selig should attend the Giants' games when Barry Bonds nears the 756-homer mark.

Bonds entered Tuesday's game with 745 homers, 10 shy of tying Hank Aaron's all-time mark of 755. A lot has been written lately regarding whether Selig will be in attendance when Bonds ties and breaks the record. Some think Selig should sit it out, but most say that Selig has no choice but to go.

Berkman agrees with the latter.

"Why create more of a scene than it already has to be?" Berkman said. "As far as the Commissioner goes, I don't see what there is to gain by not being there."

With Bonds 11 homers shy of the record and Biggio 34 hits short of 3,000, chances are the two could reach their individual milestones around the same day. If it comes down to picking one or the other, Berkman still thinks Selig should be at Bonds' games over Biggio's.

"Obviously, breaking the all-time home run record is more significant than somebody getting 3,000 hits," Berkman said. "Not sneezing at Craig's deal, but you've got probably the most hallowed record in all of sports on the line, as opposed to something that 26 other guys have done."

Two rehabs: If all goes well Thursday in Corpus Christi, Jason Jennings will make another rehab outing five days later in Round Rock.

Although there has been some talk that Jennings will make only one rehab outing, general manager Tim Purpura confirmed Jennings, who hasn't appeared in a Major League game since April 8, will make two, barring any setbacks Thursday.

"Two rehab starts for sure," Purpura said. "You haven't pitched and you haven't gotten the adrenaline rush for more than a month. You need to experience that at some level. I know it's not the same as the Major League level, but certainly the stamina, the pitching in the heat, and doing all the things you have to do, I think you need that time."

Baby Sampson: Chris Sampson missed Tuesday's game, with good reason. His wife, Heather, delivered a healthy 8-pound, 14-ounce baby boy they named C.J. at 8:25 p.m. CT.

Sampson is expected to start Wednesday's game with the Giants.

Coming up: The Astros and Giants will meet for the second game of the three-game set at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday, beginning at 7:05 p.m. CT. Right-hander Matt Albers (1-2, 5.47 ERA) will face left-hander Noah Lowry (4-3, 3.18).