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Astros go after fifth straight win against Cards

May 5, 2012 - 3:12 PM (Sports Network) - Bud Norris tries to continue a string of success against St. Louis tonight when the Houston Astros resume a three-game series against the Cardinals at Minute Maid Park.

Norris is only 22-25 for his career, but in 10 starts against St. Louis he has posted a 6-2 mark to go along with a 2.37 earned run average.

The 27-year-old right-hander, who is 1-1 this season with a 5.45 ERA, did not get a decision on Monday against the New York Mets, as he allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings of his team's 4-3 win.

"I've felt in a couple of starts this year I haven't been able to get that extra pitch to get out of that jam," Norris said after his last start.

Norris will be trying to keep the Astros in the win column tonight after the team picked up their season-high fourth straight victory with a 5-4 triumph in Friday's opener. Jose Altuve blasted a three-run homer and had two hits and scored twice in the win.

"When we scored five runs early in the game, we kept battling. We tried to score a little more and didn't, but that was enough to win the game...The pitcher's kept the game like that," Altuve said.

Lucas Harrell (2-2) picked up the win in his first ever start against the Cardinals, tossing 5 1/3 innings while scattering seven hits and allowing four runs -- three earned -- with three strikeouts.

Brett Myers converted his seventh save in as many opportunities, erasing a Rafael Furcal single on a double play and striking out Matt Holliday to face the minimum in the ninth.

Kyle Lohse (4-1) was charged with his first loss of the year, after being touched for five runs -- three earned -- on seven hits over five frames. Holliday had two hits, including a triple, scored a run and batted in another as the Cardinals dropped their second straight.

"I didn't think I had too bad of control, I was up in the zone. I felt like I was right around the zone all night," Lohse said.

Tonight, St. Louis gives the ball to lefty Jaime Garcia, who lost for the first time this season his last time out. Garcia gave up three runs and nine hits over seven innings to Milwaukee on Sunday to fall to 2-1 on the year, while bumping his ERA to 2.78.

Garcia has struggled mightily against the Astros in his brief career, posting an 0-3 mark with a 6.39 ERA in five starts.

St. Louis was 10-5 against the Astros last season.