HOUSTON — Wandy Rodriguez insists he hasn't changed anything over his last few starts. He's just found his pinpoint location.

The 31-year-old left-hander struck out 10 and allowed four singles in seven innings as the Astros snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday night.

Rodriguez (6-10) has won his last three starts, the longest winning streak by an Astro this season. He's allowed only two earned runs in those starts for a 0.90 ERA.

"Nothing different," he said. "I try to throw the ball where I want, and I just throw my pitches. I'm the same."

The Astros tabbed him as the No. 2 starter behind ace Roy Oswalt coming into the season, hoping he could improve on last year's 14-12 record. But Rodriguez lost four of his first five decisions and dropped six of seven between May and June before starting his current streak.

Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman homered and Michael Bourn scored two runs for the Astros, who've won all four meetings with the Pirates this season.

Rodriguez finished one strikeout shy of his career high, which he last reached almost exactly a year ago against Pittsburgh. He gave up two walks, both in the first inning, and reached double-digit strikeouts for the fifth time in his career.

The Astros staked Rodriguez to a 2-0 lead in the first inning off Pittsburgh starter Brad Lincoln (1-3), a rookie who played at the University of Houston.

Bourn, selected to the NL All-Star team by manager Charlie Manuel, led off with an infield single and stole second. He advanced on Jeff Keppinger's flyout and scored on Berkman's groundout.

Lee followed with a solo home run to left center, his 11th of the season.

Bourn singled and scored again in the third, rounding the bases on Keppinger's double off the left-field scoreboard. Berkman then homered into the left-field balcony, just inside the foul pole, for a 5-0 lead.

Lincoln allowed five runs on seven hits in his sixth career major-league start. He played in front of about 200 friends and family, but said that added pressure didn't affect his performance.

"I wasn't really that emotional," Lincoln said. "I had some butterflies in the first inning, but I just couldn't get comfortable out there, couldn't find the strike zone with my fastball."

Rodriguez, meanwhile, retired eight hitters in a row — three on strikeouts — after the two walks in the first inning.

Andrew McCutchen led off the fourth with a single, Pittsburgh's first hit. McCutchen eventually scored on Ryan Doumit's single to left. Rodriguez escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam later in the inning, getting Bobby Crosby to pop up before striking out Lincoln.

Rodriguez was sharp again in the sixth, striking out Pedro Alvarez and Doumit. He fanned Crosby and pinch hitter Andy LaRoche in the seventh to set a new season high.

The Astros added another run in the seventh off Javier Lopez. The Pirates' Garrett Jones drove in a run with a single in the eighth against left-hander Tim Byrdak.

Houston third baseman Chris Johnson made a diving catch to rob Lastings Milledge of a hit in the ninth.

Notes: Pirates 1B Steve Pearce will get an injection for the tendinitis in his left knee today. Pearce has been on the disabled list since late May. The Pirates say Pearce will be inactive for seven to 10 days after the injection, and is not expected to play again until August. General manager Neal Huntington said the injection was the best option to treat the injury, but surgery remains a possibility.