Jose Tabata leans on a bench in the dugout in the ninth inning against Houston Friday. The Pirates went on to lose their 100th game of the season with a 10-7 defeat at the hands of to the Astros.

PITTSBURGH — Brett Myers got credit for his sixth straight victory Friday night.

He knew who really deserved it, though.

"This one goes to the offense," Myers said. "They picked me up."

Myers struggled through six innings, Hunter Pence had three hits and three RBIs and the Houston Astros sent the Pittsburgh Pirates to their 100th loss of the season, 10-7.

Myers (14-7) was tagged for six runs — five earned — and six hits. He walked four and struck out one. But thanks to Pence's hitting, he tied his career high for victories, established in 2003 with Philadelphia, and kept alive his string of pitching at least six innings in all 32 starts this season.

That is the longest streak since Curt Schilling went at least six innings in all 35 starts in 2002 for Arizona.

The Pirates are assured of their record 18th straight losing season but this is Pittsburgh's first 100-loss year since 2001.

"It's abysmal," Pittsburgh manager John Russell said of his team's 53-100 record. "I can't sugarcoat is. It is what it is — and it's awful."

Jeff Keppinger had three hits and two RBI for Houston, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Angel Sanchez had two hits and two RBI and Brett Wallace had two of the Astros' 15 hits. Just two of the Astros' hits went for extra bases, doubles by Pence and Keppinger.

Brandon Lyon pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 19th save in 21 opportunities.

Pittsburgh's Garrett Jones doubled, tripled and drove in four runs and Andy LaRoche snapped an 0-for-21 skid with his first career pinch-hit home run. Andrew McCutchen also had two hits for the Pirates and Pedro Alvarez knocked in two runs.

Pence delivered the decisive hit for Houston, a two-run double off Daniel McCutchen (2-6) during a four-run sixth inning that put the Astros ahead 8-5.

With Houston trailing 5-4, Wallace led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Myers. Jason Bourgeois then walked and Sanchez singled home Wallace with the tying run. Pence followed with his double to right-center field and scored the final run of the inning on Keppinger's single.

The Astros scored two runs off James McDonald during a 42-pitch first inning. Pence singled home the first run and Keppinger had a sacrifice fly. McDonald threw 22 pitches to the first two batters, Jason Bourgeois and Sanchez.

McDonald lasted four innings, allowing three runs and five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Notes: Pittsburgh LF Jose Tabata left after the third inning with a sore left knee after beating out an infield single that extended his hitting streak to eight games. ... The loss dropped the Pirates to 38-41 at PNC Park, costing them a chance to join the 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays as the only team to lose 100 games and have a winning home record in the same season.