HOUSTON — Whether he was stealing signs or not, Miguel Tejada certainly riled Pirates closer Matt Capps.

The two players had a brief verbal exchange Sunday after Capps thought Tejada and Houston first base coach Jose Cruz were trying to steal pitch signs in the ninth inning of Pittsburgh's 2-1 victory over the Astros.

"Just compete," Capps said. "You don't need to do any of that stuff. Those two have a thing going out there. I'm set and he's not even looking at me. That tells me all I need to know."

Tejada said he had no idea what Capps was talking about.

"I don't know what is going on," said Tejada, who popped out to shortstop against Capps with a runner on first base in the ninth. "I have no idea why a pitcher would mock a guy after getting him out. But I am going to find out why. I don't know what he said and I could not even understand what he said.

"I just made an out. That is the first time I have ever seen a guy mad, yelling at a guy for getting out."

Paul Maholm pitched eight shutout innings and Pittsburgh snapped a 13-game road losing streak.

Ryan Doumit homered and Garrett Jones had an RBI single for the last-place Pirates, who had dropped five in a row overall.

Maholm (8-8), who lost four of his previous five decisions, scattered six hits and two walks. He struck out two.

"I've been feeling good lately," Maholm said. "It just seems like one pitch here or one pitch there would kill me every time out.

"But today the defense picked me up. It was a lot of fun to sit back and watch them make plays."

Capps allowed Lance Berkman's leadoff homer in the ninth before earning his 25th save when Hunter Pence grounded into a game-ending double play. Capps hadn't pitched in a save situation since Aug. 27.

After walking his first batter, Maholm faced the minimum for four innings. He retired 11 of 12 — Humberto Quintero singled in the third but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.

"Overall, being able to throw my curveball and my other pitches, this was a good day," Maholm said. "It's the best I've felt with every pitch."

Tejada broke up the string by leading off the fifth with a single to left.

"Paul did a great job," Pirates manager John Russell said. "His sinker was really good and he was very efficient. He was just very sharp today."

Felipe Paulino (2-9) lost his fifth straight decision. He went five innings and allowed one run on six hits and a walk. He struck out six.

"I thought he pitched good," Houston manager Cecil Cooper said.