One inning costs McHugh a piece of Astros history

SAN DIEGO -- Had it not been for a two-out infield hit by Padres pitcher James Shields in the fifth inning Monday night, Astros right-hander Collin McHugh might have joined some select company.

McHugh gave up three runs on seven hits in six innings in a 9-4 win over the Padres, but didn't factor into the decision. He was trying to win a game in his ninth consecutive start, which would have tied him with Roy Oswalt (2002) for the longest stretch in team history.

But after giving up the two-out single to Shields, McHugh allowed a two-run double by Wil Myers and a bloop single by Yangervis Solarte that tied the game.

Video: HOU@SD: Solarte bloops an RBI single to left

"McHugh ran into a little bit of trouble, and I think he threw close to 30 pitches in the one inning, which took a lot out of him," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "When I hit for him in a National League game, he was pretty tired. Again, he threw well and certainly early in the game looked like he was in total control. It was a nice win."

McHugh, making his first career start against the Padres, breezed through four innings, allowing just a pair of infield hits, before hitting trouble in the fifth.

"All four of those guys with two outs [in the fifth], I had two strikes on," he said. "So it's real frustrating not to be able to make that big pitch when you need it. I'm used to being able to, at least the last little bit, being able to make those pitches."

Despite not getting the win, McHugh is 10-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 14 starts since Aug. 1.

"He had a little deceptive slider," Padres manager Bud Black said. "The fastball was outside the zone, but the slider was in the zone. And early in the game he had a legit curveball, in the low 70s. Good curveball, good cutter-slider."