Rodriguez strikes out 10 as Houston tops Pirates

Associated Press

HOUSTON

Wandy Rodriguez struck out 10 and allowed four singles in seven innings and the Houston Astros snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman homered and Michael Bourn scored two runs for the Astros.

The Astros staked Rodriguez (6-10) to a 2-0 lead in the first inning off Pittsburgh starter Brad Lincoln (1-3).

Bourn, selected to the NL All-Star team by manager Charlie Manuel, led off with an infield single and stole second. He advanced on Jeff Keppinger’s flyout and scored on Berkman’s groundout.

Lee followed with a solo home run to left center, his 11th of the season.

Bourn singled and scored again in the third, rounding the bases on Keppinger’s double off the left-field scoreboard. Berkman then homered into the left-field balcony, just inside the foul pole, for a 5-0 lead.

Rodriguez retired eight hitters in a row — three on strikeouts — after two walks in the first inning.

Andrew McCutchen led off the fourth with a single, Pittsburgh’s first hit. McCutchen eventually scored on Ryan Doumit’s single to left. Rodriguez escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam later in the inning, getting Bobby Crosby to pop up before striking out Lincoln.

Rodriguez was sharp again in the sixth, striking out Pedro Alvarez and Doumit. He fanned Crosby and pinch hitter Andy LaRoche in the seventh to set a new season high.

The Astros added another run in the seventh off Javier Lopez. Garrett Jones drove in a run with a single in the eighth against left-hander Tim Byrdak.

Houston third baseman Chris Johnson made a diving catch to rob Lastings Milledge of a hit in the ninth.