PIRATES Suppan tames Astros

Pittsburgh overcame a shaky start for its third straight win.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Jeff Suppan overcame a shaky start to pitch seven innings in his second consecutive strong outing and also hit a run-scoring double Saturday, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Houston Astros, 4-3.
The Pirates overcame the Astros' two-run first inning by scoring three runs on four straight hits to start their half of the first against spot starter Kirk Saarloos (2-1), and Suppan took over from there.
After losing seven of eight against Houston earlier this season, the Pirates have won two straight in the three-game weekend series.
They also have won three in a row since the Reds beat them Tuesday and Wednesday with consecutive late-inning comebacks.
Slumping Astros
Houston has lost eight of 11 to fall one game back of division leader St. Louis in the NL Central.
Suppan (7-7), who gave up two runs and eight hits, was helped by some excellent plays by an often inconsistent defense.
Shortstop Jack Wilson made a diving stop of Lance Berkman's grounder and, while on his stomach, flipped the ball from his glove to second baseman Jeff Reboulet for a force out to end the Astros' third.
Wilson also made an excellent stop deep in the hole at short to throw out Richard Hidalgo to strand runners on second and third in the seventh.
Center fielder Kenny Lofton also ranged far to his right to run down Morgan Ensberg's one-out fly ball in the fifth.
Houston scores first
Suppan, coming off a four-hit shutout Sunday of Colorado, saw his streak of 13 consecutive scoreless innings end quickly on Berkman's two-run double in the first.
Suppan didn't allow any more scoring despite repeatedly being in trouble as the Astros stranded 10 runners in his seven innings -- 11 overall.
Mike Lincoln followed Suppan with a scoreless eighth despite allowing Orlando Merced's leadoff double.
Mike Williams, appearing for a fourth consecutive day, gave up Geoff Blum's solo homer in the ninth before finishing for his 24th save in 28 opportunities.
HOUSTONPITTSBURGH
abrhbiabrhbi
Biggio cf3000Lofton cf4120
Blum 2b5231Kendall c4110
Ensbrg 3b5120BGiles lf4112
Brkmn lf3012ARmrz 3b3021
Hidalgo rf5000Stairs 1b4000
Merced 1b4020MWlms p0000
Asmus c4010RSndrs rf4000
AEvrtt ss2000JWilsn ss4010
Gallo p0000Rboulet 2b2110
BHnter ph1000Suppan p2011
Stone p0000Lincoln p0000
Bgwell ph1000Rivera 1b0000
Mtrnga 2b0000
Sarloos p0000
Brntlett ss2010
Zaun ph1000
Lidge p0000
Totals363103Totals31494
Houston200000001--3
Pittsburgh30010000x--4
E--RSanders (2). LOB--Houston 11, Pittsburgh 6. 2B--Blum (14), Berkman (15), Merced 2 (13), BGiles (16), ARamirez (22), Reboulet (5), Suppan (1). HR--Blum (9). SB--Lofton (16). CS--Lofton (5). S--Saarloos, Suppan.
IPHRERBBSO
Houston
Saarloos L,2-13 2-364403
Gallo1 1-310000
Stone220001
Lidge100012
Pittsburgh
Suppan W,7-7782211
Lincoln110001
MiWilliams S,24111111
HBP--by Suppan (Biggio), by Suppan (Berkman), by Saarloos (Reboulet). Umpires--Home, Lance Barksdale; First, Joe West; Second, Paul Emmel; Third, Bill Miller. T--2:59. A--22,258.