HOUSTON (AP) -- Mickey Morandini figures to get quite a reception when he returns to Veterans Stadium on Monday.

Morandini, a crowd favorite in Philadelphia until he left two years ago, hit a two-out RBI single in the eighth inning that rallied the Phillies to a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

"I played there (Philadelphia) nine years and the fans were always good to me," Morandini said. "Even when I came back with Chicago they always gave me a nice ovation."

Morandini started the spring with Montreal but he returned to the Phillies on March 28. He plays his first regular season game in Philadelphia this season Monday -- with a game-winning hit to his credit.

"I've been proving a lot of people wrong my whole career and this year is no different," Morandini said. "I'm looking forward to it. I had a lot of great years and a lot of great memories there. I hope it's not too cold."

Jay Powell (0-1) walked Bobby Abreu to start the eighth but got the next two batters before walking Mike Lieberthal. Morandini followed with a single to center field and Abreu beat center fielder Roger Cedeno's throw to the plate.

The Phillies took two of three games from the Astros after getting swept in a three-game series to open the year in Arizona.

Steve Schrenk (1-1) got five outs for the win. The Astros loaded the bases in the eighth before Wayne Gomes got Daryle Ward to ground out. Gomes finished for his second save.

Morandini also kept the Phillies in the lead with two out and the bases loaded in the eighth inning when he ran hard to his left and threw out Ward.

"Mickey played an all-around good game, that's why he's here," Phillies manager Terry Francona said. "Even if he doesn't hit, he makes that play at second base. He knows how to play the game."

Shane Reynolds started strong for Houston but couldn't protect a 2-0 lead. Reynolds allowed three hits including Andy Ashby's RBI single in the fifth. Scott Rolen doubled in the sixth, moved to third on Rico Brogna's single and scored on Lieberthal's RBI groundout to tie it at 2.

"You've got to give Ashby credit," Reynolds said. "He regrouped and pitched a real good ball game. Their relievers came in and did a great job. We just couldn't get the timely hit when we needed them."

The Astros took a 1-0 lead off Ashby in the first inning when Craig Biggio led off the game with a double, went to third on a grounder and scored on Jeff Bagwell's sacrifice fly to left-center.

The Astros added a run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Tim Bogar.

Ashby allowed three hits and two runs in six innings, striking out six.

Reynolds allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings.

"Pitching here felt like a road game," Reynolds said. "It's kind of like being at Wrigley Field. I didn't get much chance to get used to the park. Everything is different from the Astrodome. You can't give in like you could at the Dome. Here you've got center field but what if he pulls or hits it down the right field line? Wow."

Game notes
Abreu entered the game hitting .306 with four home runs and 15 RBIs against his former teammates. "I thought he would be good but I didn't know he'd be this good this soon," Astros manager Larry Dierker said. ... Astros 3B Ken Caminiti left the game in the fourth with a strained left hamstring. He is day-to-day. ... After selling out Friday's debut at Enron Field, the Astros did not have a sellout the last two games. ... There were no homers after three were hit in each of the first two games.