ST. LOUIS, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Rookie J.R. Towles set a franchise record with eight RBI Thursday night, two of them coming on a homer, as the Houston Astros blasted St. Louis, 18-1.
Josh Anderson contributed three hits and three RBI and Cody Ransom scored five times. The Astros established season highs for runs and hits (23).
Wandy Rodriguez (9-13) picked up an easy win, giving up a run and seven hits over eight innings.
Branden Looper (12-11) surrendered five runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. Four relievers combined to give up 13 runs on 14 hits.
Towles doubled home two runs in the second, had a two-run single in the fourth and doubled home another run in the sixth. He drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth and delivered his final two runs with a homer off Aaron Miles in the ninth.
