MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- This time, the Milwaukee Brewers made it as painless as possible for the Houston Astros.

After handing them a heartbreaking defeat in the first game of the doubleheader, the Brewers cruised to a 6-1 victory over the Astros in the nightcap behind eight strong innings from Jason Bere and back-to-back homers by Jeromy Burnitz and Charlie Hayes.

Jose Hernandez had a two-run double during a seven-run, ninth-inning rally and followed with a homer in the 10th, giving Milwaukee an improbable 10-9 victory in the opener.

After the floundering Astros became only the seventh team in major league history to blow a lead of seven or more runs in the ninth inning, Bere (3-3) made sure they never got off the deck in the second game.

"We weren't able to do much with Bere, I think he pitched a terrific game," Houston manager Larry Dierker said.

Bere yielded one run and scattered eight hits, walking two and striking out three, as the lifeless Astros suffered their season-high seventh straight loss and ninth in 10 games.

Houston won the previous three National League Central Division titles, but is 10 games behind first-place St. Louis.

"We are more inclined to just try and win a game," Dierker said. "To be honest, we haven't been playing the cream of the crop teams. It's going to be an uphill struggle. That's the way things have been going. We can't put the pieces together. From here, it's a long haul. There's no pressure, that's for sure."

Journeyman Kip Gross (0-1) started for Houston and was pounded for six runs -- four earned -- and eight hits over four innings, experiencing his most difficulty in the third, when Milwaukee took the lead for good.

Henry Blanco led off with a walk and, after Bere struck out, Ron Belliard extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single. Blanco was thrown out trying to advance to third, giving Gross a reprieve.

But the righthander walked Mark Loretta before Burnitz blasted his 11th homer of the year over the wall in right to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead. Hayes followed with his fourth of the season, taking Gross over the left-field fence.

"Anytime you score runs in bunches, it means a lot of different guys are hitting," Burnitz said. "I'm just gonna keep working hard and try and stay healthy. We didn't expect to win that (first) game, but we just kept plugging."

Ken Caminiti went 3-for-4 and got Houston on the board when he launched a solo shot with one out in the eighth.

After using the double play to work his way out of jams in the second and third innings, Gross was pounded in the third and fourth.

Grissom singled with one out in the fourth, moved to second on Blanco's groundout and scored when Caminiti uncorked a wild throw to first after fielding Bere's grounder at third. Belliard followed with a double to deep left, plating Grissom and Bere to give Milwaukee a 6-0 cushion.

Joe Slusarski took over for Gross and he, Jose Cabrera and Yorkis Perez kept the Brewers off the board thereafter.

Unfortunately for Houston, Bere was determined to snap a personal three-game losing streak. The righthander improved to 4-1 lifetime against Houston with his first win since tossing seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 triumph over Florida on April 13.

"Bere pitched exceptionally well," Brewers manager Davey Lopes said. "He got ahead of the batters. It was just a very productive day. It was important that Bere gave us good innings. Now our bullpen is in pretty good shape for tomorrow."

The Brewers split a pair of doubleheaders and got swept by the New York Mets last season. They completed their first doubleheader sweep since July 29, 1997, when they took a pair of games from Toronto Jays as a member of the American League.

The Astros were swept for the first time since April 14, 1996 at Cincinnati.

"Obviously, things aren't going good right now," Houston first baseman Jeff Bagwell said. "To go on a road trip and lose six straight, and the way the first game ended today is very difficult on this ballclub. When you've won only 15 games on the season and you're expected to contend for a division and you lose a game like that, it's tough."