Backe, Astros shut down Bucs
HOUSTON — Brandon Backe has lost some velocity on his fastball since coming back from a sprained right elbow.
But the Houston Astros' starter still has plenty of other reliable pitches and he used them all in a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
Making his fourth start since coming off the disabled list, Backe (3-1) allowed three hits, walked four and struck out two to improve to 12-3 at Minute Maid Park.
"I know what I've got. I can't get any more than what I've been showing," Backe said. "There's not going to be any 93 mph fastball I'm going to be able to throw by people. I've just got to use my ability to locate it as well as possible. There's no overpowering anybody anymore."
Craig Biggio homered and Adam Everett added an RBI double for the defending NL champions, who have won five of six. They won for only the third time in their last 10 home games.
Dan Wheeler pitched a scoreless eighth, his 10th consecutive appearance without allowing a run, and Brad Lidge struck out all three batters in the ninth to earn his 25th save in 29 chances.
Lidge has struggled at times this season, but looked like his old self on Tuesday, needing just 10 pitches to finish off the Pirates.
"That's the biggest problem for me is that I haven't been able to do it consistently," Lidge said. "I know it will come at some point and I hope this is the start of it."
Jose Castillo hit a sacrifice fly for the Pirates. Pittsburgh has lost five of its last seven and scored two runs or fewer in four of those losses.
Pirates starter Paul Maholm (4-10) allowed five hits, walked four and struck out six in six innings, losing for the third time in seven starts.
Maholm's strikeout total was his highest since he fanned seven in San Francisco on June 11. But he had control problems in the first inning, walking three Astros to load the bases.
With one out, Preston Wilson grounded to shortstop Jack Wilson, who flipped to Castillo to start a double-play try. But Wilson was safe when first baseman Xavier Nady couldn't catch Castillo's off-balance relay throw and Biggio scored.
Biggio got Houston's first hit in the third, driving a 3-1 pitch from Maholm into the first row of seats in left field. It was Biggio's 15th homer this season and the 275th of his career.
Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy liked what he saw from Maholm after the rocky start.
"Our starting pitcher did something I don't think we would've seen earlier in the year," Tracy said. "This time, he had another rough start, but he maintained his composure. It was impressive to see him rectify himself the way he did."
