Astros snap Bucs’ three-game streak

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

After working on a shutout through five innings, Charlie Morton was sent to the showers in the midst of a rocky sixth.

Just like the rest of the Pirates, it was a game he’d like to wash off.

One of Hunter Pence’s three hits was an RBI single during a five-run sixth, Bud Norris pitched seven strong innings, and the Houston Astros snapped Pittsburgh’s three-game winning streak with an 8-2 victory Wednesday night.

A day after climbing four games over .500 this late in a season for the first time in 19 years, the Pirates (45-42) fell back into third place in the NL Central by losing for the first time in four games.

Surprising Pittsburgh, which was 10-4 in its previous 14 games to move within 11/2 games of the division lead, hasn’t lost consecutive games since June 17-20.

“That’s because we wash it off,” center-fielder Andrew McCutchen said. “We lose a game, we wash it off. We win a game, we wash it off. We’re still doing some good things.”

The struggles the Astros were facing finally reached the point they needed a 75-minute team meeting Wednesday to air some things out.

The frustrations built up over a five-game losing streak and losses in 10 of their past 11 were all taken out on the Pirates in that big sixth.

“The meeting was something we needed to come together and bring the unit back together and kind of just realize where we’re at,” Norris said. “It was a good meeting, and we were excited about then going out there and doing the little things well.”

Houston took the field less than 90 minutes after the meeting. Heading into the day, the Astros were 6-24 since June 3. They have the majors’ worst record (30-58).

After Morton limited Houston to three hits over the first five innings, seven of the eight batters who faced him in the sixth reached.

Angel Sanchez, Carlos Lee, Jeff Keppinger and Clint Barmes also had RBI hits in the inning.

“It kind of got out of hand,” Morton said of the inning.