Houston’s Hampton continues mastery of Pittsburgh Pirates, leads Astros to 4-1 win

Hampton shuts down Pirates _ again

HOUSTON — Mike Hampton pitched seven solid innings, Miguel Tejada and Geoff Blum drove in two runs apiece and the Houston Astros beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Monday night.

Hampton (5-5) allowed one run and three hits to improve to 14-3 with a 2.20 ERA in 20 career starts against Pittsburgh dating to 1995. He has won 10 consecutive starts against the Pirates.

Garrett Jones doubled in the seventh and scored on Robinzon Diaz’s single for Pittsburgh’s only run.

Blum hit a two-run triple in the first and Tejada’s two-run double in the fifth extended Houston’s lead to 4-0. LaTroy Hawkins worked the eighth and Jose Valverde got three outs for his seventh save.

Virgil Vasquez (1-2) went six innings in his third start of the season for Pittsburgh, allowing four runs and seven hits. The 27-year-old right-hander, who was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on June 26, walked three and struck out two.

Hampton walked the first two batters he faced, but made a nifty defensive play to escape the threat. He caught Delwyn Young’s liner back up the middle despite losing his balance and having to steady himself by placing a hand on the dirt behind him.

He got to his feet in time to double Jack Wilson off first and Jones grounded out to end the inning.

Tejada went 2 for 4 with two doubles one day after he made the NL roster for next week’s All-Star game.

NOTES: Pittsburgh 2B Freddy Sanchez missed his fourth consecutive start with back spasms and is listed as day to day. Pirates manager John Russell said he did not take any swings when the team took early batting practice. … Pirates C Ryan Doumit, on the disabled list with a wrist injury, was 0 for 2 and caught five innings for Indianapolis on Sunday.