Astros' Pettitte deal Pirates another loss
Sunday, August 27, 2006 Willie Taveras extended his hitting streak to 29 games. PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andy Pettitte made another effective start against Pittsburgh and the Houston Astros won consecutive games for the first time in more than two weeks, beating the Pirates 7-4 Saturday night. Willy Taveras extended his Astros-record hitting streak to 29 games when he doubled on Zach Duke's third pitch of the game. Taveras has gotten a hit in his first at-bat in 13 of the 29 games. Lance Berkman, who homered in Houston's 5-1 victory Friday night, hit a two-run double in the seventh inning. Before that, Pittsburgh's sloppy defensive play — on a night the Pirates also made some excellent plays in the field — helped the Astros take a 4-3 lead. The Astros hadn't won successive games since winning four in a row from Aug. 8-11, a span that included a three-game sweep of the Pirates in Houston. The defending NL champion Astros are 9-3 against Pittsburgh this season. Pettitte dominates Bucs Pettitte (12-13) improved to 6-1 against the Pirates in seven career starts. He fell behind 3-2 in the second on Jose Castillo's two-run single and Duke's wrong-way RBI single to left after the pitcher twice failed to put down a sacrifice bunt. Duke's wildness helped put Houston back into the lead in the fourth. Duke (8-12), ending a six-game winning streak at home, got the first two batters of the inning before Adam Everett doubled. After Brad Ausmus was intentionally walked so Duke could pitch to Pettitte, the pitcher singled into right field and Ausmus then scored on Duke's wild pitch. Everett and Craig Biggio had singled and scored in the second when first baseman Joe Randa threw wildly on a routine grounder that looked to be the third out of the inning. Randa made only his ninth career start at first. HOUSTONPITTSBURGH abrhbiabrhbi Tveras cf5110Duffy cf4000 Burke lf4120Randa 1b4010 Brkmn 1b5112FSnchz ss4000 Lane rf4010Bay lf4000 Ensbrg 3b5011Nady rf3110 Biggio 2b4110Palino c4220 Brkski p0000JBtsta 3b4120 Lidge p0000Castillo 2b4022 AEvrtt ss3220Duke p2011 Asmus c2100Capps p0000 Pettitte p2021Doumit ph0001 Scott lf1000Marte p0000 Burnitz ph1000 Totals357114Totals34494 Houston020200300—7 Pittsburgh030000100—4 E—Randa (4). DP—Houston 1. LOB—Houston 7, Pittsburgh 5. 2B—Taveras (15), Berkman (21), Nady (21). 3B—AEverett (5). SB—Berkman (3). CS—Taveras (8). S—Burke, Ausmus, Pettitte. SF—Doumit. IPHRERBBSO Houston Pettitte W,12-13674413 Borkowski220001 Lidge S,27100003 Pittsburgh Duke L,8-126 2-3107524 Capps1-300000 Marte210011 Pettitte pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. WP—Duke 2. Umpires—Home, Bruce Dreckman; First, Larry Poncino; Second, Ed Hickox; Third, Gary Darling. T—2:46. A—37,190. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.