Wigginton's two homers carry Astros past Pirates

Sep 16, 2007, 2:10 GMT

Houston, TX - Ty Wigginton homered twice and drove in three runs as the Houston Astros beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-7, in the middle test of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

Carlos Lee also homered and had three RBI for Houston, which scored seven times in the fourth inning and put the brakes on a three-game skid.

Juan Gutierrez (1-1) earned his first career major league win, tossing two scoreless innings in relief of Wandy Rodriguez, who gave up five runs and five hits in three innings.

Jack Wilson had the first multi-homer game of his career for Pittsburgh, which had a two-game win streak halted. Ronny Paulino added two hits -- including a three-run homer -- and finished with four RBI.

Matt Morris (9-10) had a poor performance on the mound, allowing seven runs and nine hits, with a walk and no strikeouts in just 3 1/3 innings.

The Pirates opened the scoring in the second, as Steven Pearce ripped a line- drive lead-off double and scored on Paulino's single to center.

Pittsburgh followed with a four-spot in its next at-bat, ignited by a Freddy Sanchez single to left. Jason Bay was hit by a pitch, and after Xavier Nady and Pearce were retired, Paulino clubbed a three-run homer to left. Wilson also took Rodriguez's next offering deep, making it 5-0.

Houston responded with a seven-run fourth, starting with Lee's lead-off homer. Hunter Pence followed with a single and two batters later Wigginton crushed a two-run homer to left that made it 5-3. J.R. Towles singled and a Gutierrez sacrifice bunt moved the runners for Josh Anderson, whose base hit to center plated two more to tie the game at 5-5.

Craig Biggio's single loaded the bases and Lance Berkman was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run and ending Morris' night. Lee followed with a two-run single off Salomon Torres to give the Astros a 7-5 lead before Pence grounded into an inning-ending double-play.

Pinch-hitter Jason Lane's groundout scored Mark Loretta in the fifth to make it 8-5, and Wigginton belted his second homer of the night in the seventh inning for a four-run cushion.

The Pirates pulled within two in the eighth, as Paulino walked and Wilson hit his second homer of the game. Nyjer Morgan also tripled to left with two outs, but was left stranded when Jose Bautista popped out to end the inning.

Brad Lidge tossed a perfect ninth for Houston, earning his 15th save.

Game Notes

Morris' appearance was the 300th of his career, which began April 4, 1997 in Houston...Bay returned to the lineup for Pittsburgh after missing nearly a week with tendinitis in his right knee...Wigginton's multi-homer performance was his third of the season and sixth of his career...Houston won for just the third time in its last 13 games...Zach Duke, who had been on the disabled list since June 30th with elbow tendinitis, made the first relief appearance of his career for the Pirates after 65 starts.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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