Bucs’ early lead hurts Astros’ playoff hopes

Houston‘s postseason dreams are all but over.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan Doumit drove in three runs with a pair of triples in the first two innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates built a five-run lead in the first inning before holding on to beat the skidding Houston Astros 6-4 on Saturday night.

Houston, which was threatening to take the wild card lead 10 days ago after running off 14 wins in 15 games, lost for the sixth time in seven games and is all but out of the NL playoff picture with eight games remaining.

The Astros began the night 41‚Ñ2 games out of the wild card lead.

The Astros’ slump is the result of poor hitting — they scored only five runs in five games before winning 5-1 on Friday — but their pitching shouldered the blame for their eighth loss in 15 games to the last-place Pirates.

The first four Pirates batters and five of their first six got hits against Brian Moehler (11-8), who lasted a season-low one inning.

Nyjer Morgan, Freddy Sanchez and Nate McLouth singled to score a run ahead of Doumit’s two-run double, and Brandon Moss had a run-scoring triple and Andy LaRoche hit a sacrifice fly.

Morgan and Doumit each doubled in the second against reliever Dave Borkowski to make it 6-0 as the Pirates won for only the second time in six games.

After getting seven hits in the first two innings, the Pirates had only one more the rest of the game against five Houston relievers.

Pirates rookie Jimmy Barthmaier was in position to win his second career start after being handed the 6-0 lead, but was lifted after giving up two runs in the third. Jason Davis (2-4) followed him with two scoreless inning for the victory as manager John Russell used seven pitchers.

Matt Capps pitched the ninth for his 20th save in 25 opportunities and his third in as many chances since being out seven weeks with shoulder bursitis, but only after left fielder Morgan raced to catch Geoff Blum’s fly ball down the line with two runners on.

Houston’s Lance Berkman singled up the middle in the ninth to end a career-worst slump of 0-for-27 that helped drop his average from .338 on Sept. 1 to .315.

The Astros scored twice in the eighth against Tyler Yates on RBI singles by Ty Wigginton and pinch-hitter Mark Loretta.