Taylor HRs in 2nd straight game, Falter is strong in return to rotation as Pirates stop Astros 6-2

HOUSTON (AP) — Michael Taylor homered for the second straight game, Bailey Falter returned to the rotation and threw one-run ball into the sixth inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Houston Astros 6-2 on Tuesday night.

Taylor hit a 403-foot, two-run homer off Astros starter Hunter Brown (9-7) in the sixth inning. Taylor hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning on Monday night in the Pirates' 5-3 victory. His fourth homer of the season also marked the first back-to-back homer games for the 33-year-old outfielder since August with Minnesota.

Falter (5-7), making his first start since July 6 due to triceps tendonitis, kept Houston in check, throwing 47 of his 66 pitches for strikes. The 27-year-old left-hander allowed six hits and one run with three strikeouts and no walks in 5 1/3 innings.

Astros catcher Yainer Diaz hit a solo homer off Falter in the fourth inning for his 10th homer and 58th RBI of the season.

Brown was pulled following Taylor’s homer, falling an out short of his 13th straight start of six innings or more. He allowed five runs, four earned, with eight strikeouts and two walks.

The Pirates scored first, in the second inning, on a fielder’s choice. In the fourth, Brown committed a two-out throwing error on a weak grounder from Connor Joe that allowed Joey Bart to score. The next batter, Jared Triolo, doubled to score Joe and put Pittsburgh up 3-0.

The Astros picked up their second run on a fielder’s choice on which Yordan Alvarez scored.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Carmen Mlodzinski (right shoulder strain) was put on the 15-day injured list. ... OF Joshua Palacios (left hamstring) and OF Ji Hwan Bae (left knee), who both left Monday’s game early, ran on Tuesday but did not play.

Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (neck) and RHP Luis Garcia (Tommy John) threw off a mound on Tuesday, as they near a return. Verlander threw less than 30 pitches against live batters, while Garcia threw 30 pitches, also against live batters.

UP NEXT

Astros LHP Framber Valdez (9-5, 3.43 ERA) will look to help the Astros to a seventh straight win in games in which he starts, a stretch where he is 4-0 with a 2.49 ERA. Pittsburgh has not announced a starter.

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