NATIONAL LEAGUE Clemens gets 10th victory as Astros topple Pirates 3-2

The win was the 320th of the Rocket's career.
HOUSTON (AP) -- Roger Clemens got back on track, Carlos Beltran is on the way and Brad Lidge looked good as a closer.
The Houston Astros sure had a big night.
Clemens became the first 10-game winner in the majors and Morgan Ensberg hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning, leading the Astros to a 3-2 victory Thursday night over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
During the game, Houston acquired Beltran from Kansas City as part of a three-team trade that also sent closer Octavio Dotel from the Astros to Oakland. Houston hopes its new star center fielder will join the team in time for tonight's game at Texas.
"They're trying to give us that little extra edge," said Craig Biggio, who probably will shift from center to left to make room for Beltran. "It's going to be fun."
Clemens (10-2) earned his 320th win, moving within four of Nolan Ryan and Don Sutton for 12th place on the career list.
The Rocket allowed two runs -- one earned -- and four hits in seven innings. He also had four strikeouts, giving him 4,200 for his career, second only to Ryan's 5,714.
"Those first nine wins weren't as easy as they looked to some people," Clemens said. "Tonight wasn't easy, either. It's a long road and sometimes you just try to stay the course."
Ensberg went 2-for-3 with the tiebreaking single and scored twice, helping Houston move back into fourth place in the NL Central for the first time in nearly two weeks.
It was the perfect finish to the Astros' longest homestand of the season.
"We have something to build on here," manager Jimy Williams said, "and hopefully it will continue."
Pittsburgh, which ended a five-game skid Wednesday, has lost 15 of 18.
Burnett pitches well
Pirates starter Sean Burnett (1-1), who was only 20 months old when Clemens made his major league debut with Boston in 1984, fared well in his third major league start but couldn't get the win.
The 21-year-old right hander went seven innings, allowing only three runs on five hits. He walked four and struck out one.
"I just wanted to compete and make it look like I belonged out there," Burnett said. "I've been looking forward to this the last couple of days. For a guy, 21 years old, to go up against Roger Clemens ... I may never get another chance."
Clemens bounced back nicely from a two-game skid during which he allowed 10 runs and 19 hits in losses to the Chicago Cubs and Anaheim.
Clemens struggles early
He struggled early, loading the bases in the second after walking Jason Bay and Abraham Nunez and giving up a single to Tike Redman. But Burnett struck out swinging, and the Rocket was never in trouble again.
Clemens' final strikeout of the night -- a 95 mph fastball that had Bay swinging wildly -- brought the crowd of 39,851 to its feet.