Astros Get Back on Track After Perez Stops Streak

Oliver Perez ended the Houston Astros’ 12-game winning streak with the most dominating start of his short career, striking out 14 in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 3-1 victory Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader at Pittsburgh.

The Astros’ winning streak matched the franchise high and was the longest in the National League since Atlanta won 15 in a row in 2000.

Houston won the second game, 9-2. Pirate starter Josh Fogg (9-10) didn’t offer nearly the challenge Perez did, balking in a run and yielding eight runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.

It was a quick return to form for the Astros, who averaged nine runs a game during the winning streak. They won for the 16th time in 18 games and are tied with the Giants for the wild-card lead.

Perez (10-8) yielded three hits, an unearned run and walked one in eight innings. He joined Bob Veale as the only pitchers in the club’s 118-season history to strike out 200 in a season. He has 212.

New York 4, Florida 0 -- Kris Benson (11-11) took a shutout into the seventh inning at Miami, Eric Valent homered and the Mets ended three streaks. They ended an 11-game losing streak while stopping the Marlins’ club record-tying nine-game winning streak. They also ended a run of 10 consecutive losses to Florida. Benson limited the Marlins to five hits and a walk in six-plus innings.

Colorado 9, San Diego 7 -- Todd Helton had three runs batted in, and Aaron Miles hit a two-run single in the seventh inning at Coors Field. Ramon Hernandez had three RBIs for the Padres, who dropped 2 1/2 games behind wild-card leaders San Francisco and Houston. The Padres are 1-4 against the Rockies over the last week.

Philadelphia 9, Atlanta 4 -- The Braves tied the score at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth when center fielder Jason Michaels accidentally swatted the ball over the fence to give Charles Thomas a home run. But in the seventh, Jim Thome drove in two runs with a double off Ramon Colon (1-1). Pat Burrell homered in the eighth and doubled in another run in the ninth.

Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 2 -- Wes Helms broke the game at Cincinnati open with a grand slam in the seventh inning, helping Doug Davis (11-10) get his first victory in seven starts since July 30. Davis yielded six hits and two runs with no walks in six innings.