HOUSTON -- Oneil Cruz hit a home run as part of a four-run sixth inning, and Brandon Lowe and Endy Rodríguez added home runs as the Pirates won their fourth straight game, 10-6, over the Astros on Tuesday night at Daikin Park.
Cruz hit his 14th home run of the season, a three-run shot to right-center to put the Pirates on top for the first time. Pittsburgh tacked on another in the sixth when Rodríguez scored on Jake Mangum’s infield bunt single, coupled with a throwing error. Mangum tied a career-high with four hits.
Brandon Lowe hit his 15th long of the season in the eighth, a three-run shot off the foul pole in right. Rodríguez tied the game in the second with a two-run homer to right-center. It was Rodríguez’s first home run since Sept. 22, 2023. Rodríguez added an RBI double in the ninth.
Bubba Chandler yielded four runs (three earned) on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. He earned his first win since April 17 against the Rays, snapping a streak of seven straight starts without a victory.
Yordan Alvarez hit his 21st homer in the first to give Houston an early lead, a two-run shot to the Crawford Boxes in left field. Christian Walker had an RBI single in the third, and Brice Matthews scored on a fielder’s choice by Jeremy Peña in the fourth as the Astros built a 4-2 advantage before Pittsburgh scored eight unanswered runs.