Lowry Does It Again for Giants

Noah Lowry is pitching nothing like a 23-year-old rookie.

Lowry won his sixth consecutive decision and remained unbeaten in 13 major league starts, and Ray Durham hit a two-run double to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 5-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.

Lowry limited the Astros to five hits in his second complete game, helping the Giants win for the ninth time in 10 games behind a balanced offense to remain half a game ahead of the Chicago Cubs in the National League wild-card race after Chicago won, 1-0, at Pittsburgh. Houston dropped three games back.

San Francisco moved half a game behind the first-place Dodgers in the NL West.

Barry Bonds hit a run-scoring triple off the fence in right-center field in the first inning, and the slugger didn’t get any chances after that. He was intentionally walked four times -- the fourth time he has been issued four free passes in a game this season.

Roy Oswalt (18-10), who failed to become the NL’s first 19-game winner, walked Bonds intentionally in the third and fifth innings. Mike Gallo did the same in the sixth when San Francisco batted around, and Dan Miceli walked Bonds in the eighth.

But Bonds has been getting sufficient help lately. Seven of the nine San Francisco starters got hits.

The Giants also are getting longer outings from their starting pitchers.

San Francisco won the opener of the three-game series, 9-2, Tuesday night, and will try to complete a sweep today with ace Jason Schmidt on the mound.

Lowry (6-0) owns the second-longest career-opening winning streak by a rookie starter in Giant history.

The only pitcher to start his career with more victories without a loss was Hooks Wiltse, who was 12-0 to begin the 1904 season for New York -- a major league record. Giant left-hander Kirk Rueter began 10-0 with Montreal over two seasons (1993 and 1994).

Lowry retired 10 of the first 12 hitters, giving up a second-inning solo homer to Jeff Kent and a single two batters later.

In the fifth, Lowry worked out of a jam with runners on second and third by getting three consecutive outs.

First baseman J.T. Snow made a sliding catch on his knees into the fence in front of the dugout for the final out on a popup by Craig Biggio.

Lowry retired the side in order in the first, third, fourth, sixth innings and ninth innings.

The left-hander struck out seven and walked one.