Hampton sharp, Lee hits grand slam in Astros’ 9-1 win over Pirates

Hampton, Lee lead Astros over Pirates

HOUSTON — Carlos Lee hit a grand slam and Mike Hampton beat Pittsburgh for the ninth straight time in the Houston Astros’ 9-1 win over the Pirates on Friday night.

Hampton (4-4) struck out five and allowed five hits in seven innings, holding the Pirates to one run for the second time in a week. He also pitched seven innings in Houston’s 2-1 win at PNC Park on Sunday.

The 36-year-old left-hander, who signed with the Astros as a free agent in December, won at Minute Maid Park for the first time in eight starts since April 2003, when he pitched for Atlanta. He also had a hit and an RBI for the Astros, who’ve won six of their last eight.

Lee’s 13th career grand slam off Evan Meek capped a seven-run sixth inning for Houston. Humberto Quintero drove in two runs with his first career triple earlier in the inning off Jeff Karstens (2-3).

Lance Berkman led off with a walk and advanced on Geoff Blum’s flyout to right. With Edwin Maysonet batting, Berkman bolted for third, his first stolen base of the season.

Maysonet walked before Quintero tripled off the right-field wall, and Quintero came home on Hampton’s sacrifice fly to right to make it 5-1.

Michael Bourn doubled before Pittsburgh manager John Russell brought in Meek to relieve Karstens. Meek walked Jeff Keppinger and Hunter Pence before Lee drove an 0-1 pitch off the brick facade in left, his 10th homer of the season.

That was more than enough support for Hampton, who improved to 13-3 in 19 career starts against the Pirates, his best record against any team.

Hampton helped himself in the third, singling and later scoring on Keppinger’s sacrifice fly to center. Hampton came into the game with a .368 average, tops among major-league pitchers.

Pence drove in another run later in the inning to put Houston ahead 2-0.

Delwyn Young led off the fifth with a single and later scored on Jack Wilson’s single to right. Hampton retired the next five Pirates in order to stay in control.

Jeff Fulchino relieved in the eighth and snagged Ramon Vazquez’s hard liner back to him. Keppinger, the shortstop, made a leaping catch for the next out to rob Andrew McCutchen.