Altuve, Astros down Cardinals

11:22 PM, May 4, 2012   |    comments
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Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Jose Altuve blasted a three-run homer in the second inning and the Houston Astros held on to best the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-4, in the opener of a three-game weekend set Friday.

Altuve had two hits and scored twice as the Astros won a season-high fourth game in a row.

Lucas Harrell (2-2) picked up the win in his first ever start against the Cardinals, tossing 5 1/3 innings while scattering seven hits and allowing four runs -- three earned -- with three strikeouts.

Brett Myers converted his seventh save in as many opportunities, erasing a Rafael Furcal single on a double play and striking out Matt Holliday to face the minimum in the ninth.

Kyle Lohse (4-1) was charged with his first loss of the year, after being touched for five runs -- three earned -- on seven hits over five frames. Holliday had two hits, including a triple, scored a run and batted in another as St. Louis dropped its second straight.

The Sports Network