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.

“He’s swinging the bat aggressively and it looks like he has confidence,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “I know tonight, it’s big swings, but the last two weeks, he’s had really consistent at-bats.”

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.

“I feel like I’m a pretty good strike-thrower, and usually, I have some bad tendencies when I walk guys, they’re going to score like 99% of the time,” Falter said. “So, that was my big thing tonight, no walks and first-ball strikes.”

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.

“That one stung a little bit,” Brown said. “I felt, personally, like I made some really big mistakes tonight. That put us in a hole tonight, and it definitely doesn’t feel good.”

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.

“We didn’t make all the plays like we usually do,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We’re usually a very defensively sound team, but this was not our best night.”

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.

PIRATES TRANSACTIONS

Pittsburgh was busy ahead of the trade deadline. The Pirates acquired LHP Josh Walker from the Mets in exchange for minor league LHP Nicolas Carreno, INF/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Blue Jays for minor league INF/OF Charles McAdoo, minor league LHP Ronaldys Jimenez from the Padres for LHP Martín Pérez, OF Bryan De La Cruz from the Marlins for minor league RHP Jun-Seok Shim and minor league INF Garret Forrester, and OF Billy Cook from the Orioles for minor league RHP Patrick Reilly.

ASTROS TRADE

After a splash trade for Toronto LHP Yusei Kikuchi in exchange for three top prospects, Houston had a relatively quiet trade deadline. The Astros acquired LHP Caleb Ferguson from the Yankees in exchange for minor league RHP Kelly Austin and international bonus pool money.

ANDRE JOHNSON DAY

The Astros honored former Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson with a pregame ceremony in which he was presented with a special bat by Astros owner Jim Crane and threw out the first pitch to Astros Hall of Famer Craig Biggio. Johnson, a seven-time Pro Bowler with the Texans, will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. In attendance for the ceremony were rappers 50 Cent and Bun B, as well as football greats Adrian Peterson and Terrell Owens. Fans also received an Andre Johnson bobblehead as the promotional giveaway.

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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