Hampton too tough again for Bucs, 6-1

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Hampton pitched six shutout innings and the Houston Astros snapped a five-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

Hampton (1-1) allowed four singles, walked one and struck out eight.

He improved to 11-3 in his career against Pittsburgh and has won seven consecutive starts against the Pirates dating back to 2000.

Carlos Lee drove in three runs, Miguel Tejada had three hits and scored two runs, and Lance Berkman added two hits to help revive the Astros’ struggling offense for at least a night.

Adam LaRoche had a homer and Nate McLouth had two hits and reached base three times for the Pirates.

Houston began Wednesday’s game with a major-league worst 16 runs scored this season, including shutouts in its past two games.

The Astros snapped an 18-inning scoreless streak with two runs in the first against Pittsburgh starter Ross Ohlendorf (0-2).

Michael Bourn walked, and Tejada and Berkman singled to load the bases.

Lee and Hunter Pence followed with back-to-back sacrifice flies.

Houston made it 4-0 in the third. Tejada led off with a single, Berkman doubled, and Lee followed with a two-run double.

Ohlendorf allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.

Hampton, meanwhile, didn’t allow a runner past first base for five innings before escaping trouble in the sixth.

Luis Cruz led off with a single. Nyjer Morgan and Freddy Sanchez struck out before McLouth singled.

Ryan Doumit then hit a deep fly ball that Lee caught at the left field wall.

LaRoche led off the ninth with a homer off Jose Valverde.

Notes

Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson was scratched from the starting lineup about an hour before Wednesday’s game with a bruised left middle finger.

Wilson, who was replaced by Ramon Vazquez, had a pinch-hit single in the seventh.

Pittsburgh third baseman Andy LaRoche went 0-for-2 and now is 0-for-16 this season.

Pittsburgh, which dropped to 4-4, has alternated wins and losses to start the season.

Hampton made his first start against Pittsburgh since September 7, 2003, when he was with Atlanta.

Berkman is 5-for-8 (.625) with a home run in his career against Ohlendorf.