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Martinez leads Astros past Pirates

Aug 31, 2011 - 5:37 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - J.D. Martinez had three hits and drove in three runs to continue his incredible August, and the Astros scored six times in the sixth inning to top Pittsburgh, 8-2, at Minute Maid Park.

Jose Altuve added two RBI in support of Henry Sosa (2-2), who threw six strong innings. Sosa gave up just two hits and fanned seven batters to win back-to- back starts.

"It was really cool to see him pitch that way," Astros manager Brad Mills said. "He really threw the ball extremely well."

Carlos Lee and Jimmy Paredes each tallied a pair of hits and an RBI for Houston, which has won three in a row.

Martinez has 28 RBI this month, the most by any rookie in Astros history in a single month.

Charlie Morton (9-8) surrendered six hits and four runs over 5 1/3 innings. He also had eight strikeouts against four walks and has just one victory in his last eight outings.

"The ball was elevated tonight," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.

Andrew McCutchen hit a solo homer off Brett Myers in the ninth inning, but the Pirates suffered their fifth loss in six games.

Alex Presley singled to center to drive in Ronny Cedeno in the third, but the Astros tied it in the fifth on Altuve's home run to left field.

Houston had seven hits in the sixth inning, including one from pinch-hitter Matt Downs, whose single to left scored Paredes and gave Houston the lead.

Chris Leroux came in to spell Morton, but Jordan Schafer, Altuve, Martinez and Lee each followed with base hits to expand the lead to 5-1. Paredes later doubled to left to drive in Martinez.

An infield base hit from Martinez plated Carlos Corporan in the seventh.

Game Notes

The Astros will recall righty Lucas Harrell to start Friday in place of Myers, who will be away from the club due to the birth of his child...Lee has an 11-game hitting streak...Downs has 12 pinch-hit RBI this season...McCutchen has 20 steals and 20 homers this season. He's the eighth player in Pirates history to accomplish the feat ..Morton went 338 at-bats since he surrendered a homer to a right-handed batter before giving one up to Altuve. Before that the last right-handed batter to homer off Morton was Matt Holliday, September 27, 2010 at Busch Stadium...The National League record for most RBI by a rookie in August is 29, held by Todd Helton in 1998 and David Justice in 1990...McCutchen has six RBI in his last five games.