HOUSTON (AP) — Miguel Tejada’s grand slam broke open a close game in the sixth inning

HOUSTON (AP) — Miguel Tejada’s grand slam broke open a close game in the sixth inning and helped the surging Houston Astros beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-4 on Wednesday night.

Houston has won five straight and 13 of 14 and remains four games behind Milwaukee in the wild-card chase. The Astros are now 12 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2005 season, when they finished 16 games over .500.

Brian Moehler (11-6) went six innings and allowed two runs on five hits. Jose Valverde pitched the ninth for his league-leading 42nd save in 48 tries. He stretched his franchise record for consecutive saves to 15.

Denny Bautista (4-3) pitched 1 1-3 innings and gave up five runs and three hits.

With the score tied 2-2, Darin Erstad’s bases loaded sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth. A walk to Mark Loretta then set up Tejada’s slam. It was Tejada’s 11th career grand slam and 13th homer of the season.

Starter Tom Gorzelanny had to leave the game in the third inning with an irritation to his left middle finger. Gorzelanny went 21‚Ñ3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits and two walks. He struck out two.

Houston took a 2-0 lead on Hunter Pence’s two-run homer in the second inning. It was his 22nd home run of the season.

Pittsburgh cut the deficit to one on Adam LaRoche’s 19th homer of the year in the fourth inning. The Pirates tied it in the fifth on Nyger Morgan’s RBI double.

They closed to 7-4 on RBI doubles by Nate McLouth and LaRoche in the eighth inning.

The Astros are considering whether to change the time of their game with the Chicago Cubs Friday from 7:05 p.m. to 1:05 p.m. because of the possibility of Hurricane Ike heading toward the city. A final decision will be announced this morning or afternoon.