Astros’ Rodriguez shuts down Pirates
HOUSTON (AP) – 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, who’ve won all four meetings with the Pirates this season.
Rodriguez (6-10) finished one strikeout shy of his career high, which he last reached almost exactly a year ago against Pittsburgh. He gave up two walks, both in the first inning, and won his third straight start.
The Astros staked Rodriguez to a 2-0 lead in the first inning off Pittsburgh starter Brad Lincoln (1-3), a rookie who played at the University of Houston.
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 the 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.
NOTES: Rodriguez has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 11 of 17 starts. … Astros general manager Ed Wade said IF Geoff Blum will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery on Wednesday. Blum said he felt his elbow pop while putting on his shirt following Thursday night’s game in San Diego. … Pirates 1B Steve Pearce will get an injection on Wednesday for the tendinitis in his left knee. Pearce has been on the disabled list since late May. The Pirates say Pearce will be inactive for 7-10 days after the injection, and is not expected to play again until August. General manager Neal Huntington said the injection was the best option to treat the injury, but surgery remains a possibility.