Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Jordan Schafer drove in three runs and the
Houston Astros ended a 12-game losing streak, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates
9-5.
Schafer delivered the go-ahead home run for the Astros, who avoided a four-
game sweep with the win.
Lucas Harrell (8-7) tossed another strong outing for Houston, giving up two
runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The rookie has a 1.86 earned run average
in four starts since the All-Star break.
Meanwhile, James McDonald's (10-5) second-half struggles continued. The Astros
tagged him for five runs on six hits and a career-high seven walks in five
innings. McDonald has pitched to an 8.91 ERA over his last four starts.
Houston took advantage of McDonald's control problems to pull ahead in the
fourth inning. Chris Snyder drew a one-out walk and Schafer made McDonald
pay, lining a home run into the right-field seats to give Houston a 3-2 lead.
The Astros piled on two more runs in the fifth inning. J.D. Martinez sent a
flare into right field, which Garrett Jones misplayed, and ended up at third
base. Scott Moore punched a single through the right side to score Martinez
before advancing to third on Steve Pearce's double. After an intentional walk
and a force out at the plate, Schafer scored Pearce with an infield chopper.
After Andrew McCutchen and the Pirates left the bases loaded in the top of the
sixth, Moore and the Astros added another run in the bottom half of the frame,
giving Houston a 6-2 lead.
Pittsburgh picked up a run in the seventh when Neil Walker crushed a double
into the right-field gap to score Josh Harrison, but Houston blew the game
open with three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Snyder and Matt Downs singled and Jose Altuve walked to load the bases for
Marwin Gonzalez, who stroked a double into the left-field corner to clear the
bases and open up a 9-3 advantage.
Pittsburgh capped the scoring with a pair of runs in the ninth, but Xavier
Cedeno and Wilton Lopez combined to record the final three outs and end
Houston's losing streak.
Houston opened up the scoring in the third when Martinez lofted a sacrifice
fly to score Altuve, who advanced to third with a perfectly played hit and
run.
Jones slammed an upper-deck home run in the fourth inning to give Pittsburgh a
2-1 lead.
Game Notes
Starling Marte stole his first career base in the fifth inning...Prior to the
game, Houston traded third baseman Chris Johnson to Arizona for minor league
outfielders Marc Krauss and Bobby Borchering...Harrell leads National League
rookies with 127 1/3 innings...Harrell improved to 6-1 at home this year with
a 2.02 ERA (13 earned runs in 58 innings)...Altuve went 1-for-3 and has hit in
eight of his last nine games...The loss snapped the Pirates' four-game winning
streak...The Pirates have homered in 19 straight road games...Pittsburgh has
not swept a four-game series in Houston since 1983...McDonald has a 2.15 ERA
at home and a 5.06 ERA on the road...Pittsburgh went 4-for-10 with runners in
scoring position and stranded nine...Houston went 3-for-12 with RISP and left
10 on base.
The Sports Network