Pirates still dominating Astros
HOUSTON — The Pittsburgh Pirates are saving their best plays for the end of the season.
Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer and Ronny Paulino added a run-scoring single in the eighth inning as the Pirates rallied to beat the Houston Astros 4-3 Friday night.
Ian Snell pitched six strong innings and rookie center fielder Nyjer Morgan made a highlight-reel catch as the Pirates won for the fifth time in seven games.
"It's means a lot to me and it means a lot to the team to go out strong," Snell said.
Pittsburgh trailed 2-1 after Lance Berkman hit a solo homer off Damaso Marte in the seventh.
Chad Qualls (6-5) started the eighth in relief of Houston starter Roy Oswalt and gave up a single to Freddy Sanchez. Adam LaRoche grounded to Berkman, who threw to second for the force out, before Bautista drove a 3-1 pitch off the foul pole in left field, the first runs given up by Houston's bullpen in 16 innings.
Steve Pearce singled to center and stole second before Paulino lined a single up the middle to put Pittsburgh up 4-2.
"You can have 10 good outings in a row," Qualls said, "and then you can have an outing like I did tonight and it doesn't matter."
Houston rookie Josh Anderson, recalled on Sept. 1 and making his first major league start, had an RBI single in the eighth off Pirates reliever Shawn Chacon. But Matt Capps pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 17th save.
All the Pirates wanted to talk about after the game was Morgan's catch that got Pittsburgh out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the third inning.
Ty Wigginton, who doubled twice and scored a run for Houston, hit a high drive to deep center and Morgan sprinted to within a step of the wall before making a spectacular, over-the-shoulder grab.
"I try to catch everything," said Morgan, recalled from the minors on Sept. 1. "I was right on the wall. I just had to keep an eye on it. I just wanted to make a good play."
The catch reminded Tracy of Willie Mays' famous catch in the 1954 World Series.
"This may be as good as you can witness," Tracy said. "That's pretty much an incredible play."
Houston lost to the Pirates for the 10th time in 13 meetings this season.
Pittsburgh reliever Romulo Sanchez (1-0) earned the win by striking out Wigginton, the only batter he faced, to end the seventh. It was the first major league win for Sanchez, who made his debut Aug. 26 at Houston.
