CINCINNATI, April 27 (UPI) -- Consecutive extra-base hits and two RBI from Jose Altuve highlighted Houston's early offense Friday and the Astros held on to down Cincinnati 6-4.
Altuve came into the game batting .377 in his first full season in the majors and was a key in the Astros picking up their second straight win.
He tripled in Houston's first run in the third and then scored on a single by J.D. Martinez. Altuve's RBI double in the fourth finished off a four-run inning that featured a costly fielding error by second baseman Brandon Phillips.
Three of the Houston runs in the fourth were unearned.
Wandy Rodriguez (2-2) earned the victory, going six innings while giving up two runs on six hits with six strikeouts.
Brett Myers entered the game for Houston in the ninth after Cincinnati's Devin Mesoraco had hit a two-run homer. Myers retired the only two men he faced for his fourth save.
Mike Leake (0-3) took the loss, surrendering three runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.
