Throughout a 10-game losing streak filled with offensive ineptitude, even from prized hitters such as Lance Berkman, the Houston manager maintained his optimism. Garner claimed the Astros were due for an offensive explosion that would start to push his hitters back toward their career norms.

On Thursday, his hopes were validated.

Finally, the line drives off the bats of Houston hitters found holes. Finally, sluggers such as Berkman and Luke Scott drove in runs with extra-base hits. Most importantly, the Astros finally broke out of their funk in a 10-2 win over Cincinnati in front of 30,336 at Minute Maid Park.

"This was one that we definitely needed," Garner said. "I've been thinking it was [a matter of time] for a week now, and I'll certainly take it. Everybody did a nice job. Our offense put some things on the board, and we had a lot of solid hits."

The Astros had scored four runs or fewer during each game of the losing streak. They scored that many runs in two innings Thursday. Catcher Brad Ausmus sparked a four-run third inning with a leadoff triple against Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo.

Carlos Lee ripped a two-run double to deep left-center, increasing his National League-leading RBI total to 48. Hunter Pence capped the third with double off the left-field wall, scoring Lee and giving the Astros a 4-0 lead. The crowd responded with a standing ovation.

"It's amazing what a little bit of confidence can do," third baseman Mark Loretta said. "It was a little bit contagious tonight. [Craig Biggio] had some hits, I had some hits, and that gave us baserunners for the big guys, and they drove us in. Tonight was a good game for our psyche. It's a lot more fun to score runs."

But even amidst the early success, something still seemed wrong. Berkman and Scott, Houston's best returning hitters from last season, were still slumping badly and were a combined 0-for-4 in the game. In the fifth inning, however, that all changed.

Biggio and Loretta got it started again with back-to-back one-out singles, and Berkman drove a pitch that Arroyo left over the plate over the right-field fence for his sixth home run of the season. It was Berkman's first extra-base hit since May 9.

"I'll take it right now, for sure," Berkman said. "You don't want to be left out of a 10-run party."

But that wasn't all.

After Lee singled, Scott drove the first pitch of his at-bat to deep center, skipping to the top of Tal's Hill for a two-out triple and putting the Astros in front 8-2. When the inning ended on a fly out by Adam Everett, the crowd roared its approval for the Astros' best offensive performance in nearly three weeks.

"It's nice to finally get some big hits," Biggio said. "We know we're all capable of doing it, but we were finally able to get it done. It was kind of nice, considering the way things have gone in the last 10 games. You have to move on and turn the page, and hopefully this will get us going again."

Biggio finished 3-for-5 with a double and now has 2,977 career hits.

Although Houston starter Woody Williams only lasted five innings because of a high pitch count, he showed the kind of command on his pitches that he hadn't shown at many points this season. Williams allowed two runs and struck out a season-high nine batters. He hadn't struck out more than five batters since April 16, 2006.

"I finally had a good fastball and was able to spot it," said Williams, who recorded his first home win of the season. "I made some pitches behind in the counts when I had to. It's special [to get the first home win]. Tonight was a good team effort with good team intensity, and that's what you need to do."

Seven of the nine Cincinnati starters struck out against Williams, and the right-hander combined with relievers Rick White, Brad Lidge, Dave Borkowski and Brian Moehler to strike out 16 batters.

"Woody was awesome tonight," Reds slugger Adam Dunn said. "When a pitcher is on like that, there's not a lot you can do. He made all the right pitches."

Houston knows its problems are far from being cured. After all, the Astros have won just twice in their last 14 games. The Astros, however, hope that winning in the manner they did Thursday can give them the confidence and momentum they need to get back in the National League Central race.

"We did a good job tonight up and down the lineup of swinging the bats well, and that's something we haven't been doing," Berkman said. "But we can't get too giddy. It's just one night, and we've got to play a little more consistently. We've had a couple of these games before where you thought we broke out, but we haven't been consistent. So the key is how we play from this point forward."