Pirates Struggle Against Astros In 8-2 Loss
HOUSTON (KDKA/AP) -- The Pirates managed just four hits in their 8-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
Dropping to 62-73, Pittsburgh struck out 11 times.
Andrew McCutchen hit his 20th home run in the ninth. Alex Pressley had an RBI single in the third.
The Pirates' bullpen apparently suffered a meltdown when they allowed Houston to tally six runs in the sixth inning.
It started when Matt Downs pinch-hit for Henry Sosa and hit an RBI single. Jose Altuve added an RBI single, J.D. Martinez drove in two runs with a single, and Carlos Lee and Jimmy Paredes also had
run-scoring hits in the inning.
Charlie Morton (9-8) pitched 5 and 1-3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits, bringing his ERA to 3.74.
Sosa, who walked one batter, got his second straight victory. He walked Ronny Cedeno to start the third inning. Cedeno was sacrificed to second and scored on Alex Presley's long single to center.
Martinez also had an RBI hit in the seventh. He went 3 for 5 to lead Houston's 13-hit attack.
Houston threatened in the fourth when Morton walked leadoff batter Brian Bogusevic. He went to second on a groundout and took third on a wild pitch, but Sosa struck out to end the inning.
