Astros’ 5-1 win over Bucs snaps losing skid

It all fell apart in the fourth inning for Pittsburgh starting pitcher Ian Snell.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Randy Wolf allowed three hits in seven innings and Hunter Pence had two hits and three RBIs to help the Houston Astros snap a five-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Wolf (11-12) gave up one run and struck out seven to win for the third time in four starts this month. The left-hander beat the Pirates for the second time in 10 days and won his sixth straight decision against Pittsburgh.

Ty Wigginton and Geoff Blum also had RBIs for Houston, which began Friday five games behind the New York Mets for the wild-card lead.

The Astros, who were held to a combined 16 hits during their losing streak, had six hits against the Pirates.

Pittsburgh starter Ian Snell (6-12), who didn’t allow a hit until one out in the fourth inning, gave up one earned run and three hits in six innings. The right-hander walked five, including two in the fourth, when Houston scored twice on a single from Pence and a ground out from Wigginton.

Pence added a two-run double and Blum had an RBI single during a three-run eighth against Pirates reliever Denny Bautista.

Pittsburgh walked eight, one day after issuing 11 in a 4-3, 12-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Adam LaRoche had two hits and homered off Wolf in the fourth for Pittsburgh’s only run. The Pirates first baseman has five homers and 18 RBIs in his past 11 games.

The left-hander had been 1-for-10 with four strikeouts in his career against Wolf before the home run.

Pittsburgh, which has lost four of five games, reached 90 losses for the fourth straight season and sixth time since 2000.

Notes

Wolf’s last loss to Pittsburgh came June 30, 2000, when he was with the Philadelphia Phillies. His winning streak against the Pirates is tied for the longest active streak in the major leagues with Derek Lowe of the Dodgers. ... The Astros are a National League-best 37-21 since the All-Star break. ... Houston 1B Lance Berkman, who went 0-for-1 with three walks, is in a career-worst 0-for-23 slump. ... Pittsburgh, which dropped to 38-41 at home, will finish with a losing home record for the seventh time in eight seasons at PNC Park. The only exception was 2006, when the Pirates went 43-38. ... The Pirates have lost five straight to the Astros.