Houston remains in the playoff hunt as Ike draws near.

Houston remains in the playoff hunt as Ike draws near.

HOUSTON (AP) — Roy Oswalt threw his second straight complete-game shutout and set a Houston record for consecutive scoreless innings, helping the Astros gain ground in the playoff chase with a 6-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.

Houston has won 14 of 15 to pull within three games of NL wild card-leading Milwaukee, which lost 6-3 at Philadelphia, but it’s uncertain when the Astros will play again. The first two games of their weekend series against the Chicago Cubs were postponed and Sunday’s matchup could be next with Hurricane Ike closing in on Texas.

Oswalt (15-9) hasn’t allowed a run in 321‚Ñ3 innings, passing the previous record of 31 set by J.R. Richard in 1980. He needed only 90 pitches to finish his sixth career shutout and 15th complete game.

Oswalt retired 20 in a row after Luis Rivas’ one-out single in the first inning on his way to winning for the ninth time in 10 decisions. He finished with a three-hitter.

The Astros have won six straight and their 36-16 record since the All-Star break is the best mark in the majors.

Oswalt also drove in two runs for the Astros, who’ve won nine straight at Minute Maid Park, matching their longest home win streak since July 2005.

The Pirates have lost six in a row and 17 of 20.

Houston went in front in the third and added five more runs in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead, chasing Pirates starter Zach Duke (5-14).

Reggie Abercrombie led off the third with a bunt single and advanced to third on Duke’s wild throw past first baseman Adam LaRoche. One out later, Oswalt dropped a sacrifice bunt and Abercrombie sprinted home to make it 1-0.

Hunter Pence singled in the Houston fifth to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. He went to third when Doug Mientkiewicz made an errant throw into the outfield trying to start a double play. Abercrombie drove in Pence with a bloop single to center and Brad Ausmus singled to load the bases.

Oswalt, Darin Erstad, Mark Loretta and Miguel Tejada each drove in a run, and Pittsburgh manager John Russell replaced Duke with Marino Salas. Oswalt singled in Jose Castillo and scored when Miguel Tejada extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double.