Astros 9, Pirates 5: Jordan Schafer and Marwin Gonzalez drove in three runs apiece as host Houston ended its club-record 12-game losing streak.
Gonzalez collected three hits and Scott Moore added two RBIs for the Astros, who salvaged the finale of their seven-game homestand by winning for just the third time in 28 overall contests.
Schafer gave Houston a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning with his fourth home run of the season and capped a two-run fifth with an RBI groundout. Moore delivered run-scoring singles in the fifth and sixth frames before Gonzalez capped the scoring for the Astros with a three-run double in the seventh.
Lucas Harrell (8-7) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings en route to his first win in five starts. The right-hander has yielded two runs or less in six of his last seven outings.
James McDonald (10-5) suffered his second straight loss after five consecutive wins, surrendering five runs on six hits and seven walks in five frames.
Garrett Jones belted a two-run homer and Neil Walker had two RBIs for the Pirates, who had their nine-game winning streak against Houston snapped and fell to 3-1 on their 10-game road trip.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Pirates RHP Kevin Correia allowed four runs over two innings in his first relief appearance of the season. Correia was taken out of the starting rotation in favor of the newly acquired Wandy Rodriguez. ... Houston continued its fire sale Sunday, sending 3B Chris Johnson to Arizona for two minor leaguers. Johnson, who batted .279 with eight home runs and 41 RBIs in 92 games, joined 1B Carlos Lee, LHPs J.A. Happ and Rodriguez and RHPs Brandon Lyon and Brett Myers as players the Astros have dealt this month. ... 1B Steve Pearce made his Astros debut, going 1-for-4 with a run scored one day after being claimed off waivers from Baltimore. ... Pittsburgh has homered in 19 straight road games.
Pittsburgh | Houston | |
James McDonald | Player | Lucas Harrell |
Loss | W/L | Win |
5.0 | IP | 5.2 |
5 | Strikeouts | 5 |
6 | Hits | 5 |
9.00 | ERA | 3.18 |
Pittsburgh | Houston | |
Josh Harrison | Player | Marwin Gonzalez |
2 | Hits | 3 |
0 | RBI | 3 |
0 | HR | 0 |
3 | TB | 5 |
1.000 | Avg | .600 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Pittsburgh | 11 | 1 | 16 | .306 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Houston | 12 | 1 | 22 | .353 | 19 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 |