Astros rookie leads Bucs assault

Houston pounded Pirates pitching for 22 hits in a 15-3 walloping.

HOUSTON (AP) — Josh Anderson isn’t playing like a guy who has 15 games in the major leagues under his belt.

The rookie reached base six times and drove in three runs, and Houston piled up 22 hits to help Brandon Backe win for the first time in more than a year as the Astros routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 15-3 Sunday.

Anderson, who played 131 games with Triple-A Round Rock before arriving Sept. 1, had five hits and a walk to set a club rookie record for a nine-inning game. Joe Morgan reached base six times as a rookie against Milwaukee on July 8, 1965, in a 12-inning game.

“I’m a little bit surprised,” said Anderson, who started his third straight game in center field and raised his batting average to .500. “I had a six-hit game in A-ball in 2004 and I had five hits one other time in the minors.

“It was just one of those days when you feel good, you feel locked in. It’s hard to describe. I guess it’s like a basketball player hitting several threes in a row.”

Cooper impressed

It certainly impressed interim manager Cecil Cooper.

“He’s an exciting young player,” Cooper said. “Hopefully he’ll get a chance to continue. It’s pretty hard to bench a guy who had five hits. He’ll definitely play tomorrow.”

Chris Burke had three hits and four RBIs and Ty Wigginton had a home run, double and single as Houston set a season-high for runs to win its second straight. The 22 hits were a club record for a home game.

Backe (1-1), who had Tommy John surgery Sept. 6 of last season, went six innings in his third start of the year and allowed two runs and three hits. He walked two and struck out two.

The right-hander, who started out as an infielder in the Devil Rays organization, also doubled, singled and scored twice.

Paul Maholm (10-15) wasn’t nearly as good, lasting just 22⁄3 innings and giving up 10 runs and 11 hits. Maholm had beaten the Astros twice this season and allowed only two runs in 152⁄3 innings in those games. He’s 3-3 against them in his career.

“I felt good, but for some reason I threw everything belt high and this is the wrong park to try that one in,” Maholm said. “I make a perfect pitch to the first hitter and he gets on. Then all of the sudden, I start trying to throw hard for some reason.”