Pirates fall to Houston

Associated Press

HOUSTON

Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman homered for the second straight game and the Houston Astros hit a season-high four home runs in a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

Jeff Keppinger and Hunter Pence added solo shots for the Astros, who came in with a major-league low 50 homers this season.

Berkman has homered in three straight games, the first time he’s accomplished that feat since he hit homers in four consecutive games between July 29-Aug. 2, 2007.

Casey Daigle (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn the victory. Astros starter Brian Moehler left after three innings with a strained right groin.

Pirates starter Daniel McCutchen (1-4) allowed three of Houston’s homers in five innings.

Keppinger extended his hitting streak to nine games with a solo homer to left in the first.

Berkman drew a two-out walk in the Astros’ half of the third, and Lee followed with a homer to left, his 12th. Lee went 19 games and 71 at-bats without a home run before hitting a solo shot in Tuesday’s 6-2 victory.

Left-hander Gustavo Chacin replaced Moehler for the fourth and Garrett Jones led off with a double. Pedro Alvarez walked before Ryan Doumit drove in Jones with a single to right to make it 3-1.

Ryan Church tied it with a double to the gap in left center.

Center fielder Michael Bourn made two sparkling catches to help Chacin escape further damage in the inning.

The Pirates loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth against Daigle, but Church struck out swinging.

Berkman put the Astros ahead with a solo homer in the fifth, his 10th of the season. Berkman and Lee homered in the same game for the third time this season.

Pence led off the Astros’ sixth with a homer to left off D.J. Carrasco.