Pirates  2    Astros  1

Pittsburgh Pirates (54-86) at Houston Astros (70-72), 2:05 p.m.

Sports Network | September 13, 2009

(Sports Network) - A pair of mistakes cost the Pirates on Saturday, but when you've lost 13 straight road games, the bounces usually tend to go the other way.

Pittsburgh will try to halt its road skid and avoid a three-game sweep versus the Houston Astros this afternoon at Minute Maid Park.

The Pirates had nine hits to the Astros' four on Saturday, but it was Houston that made the most of its chances. Carlos Lee gave the Astros an early lead with a two-run homer, while Miguel Tejada later snapped a tie with a two-run homer of his own in the seventh inning, leading Houston to a 4-2 victory.

Jose Valverde threw a perfect ninth inning for his 23rd save of the season while also giving the Astros their seventh win in nine games.

Andy LaRoche and Ramon Vazquez each drove in a run for the Pirates, who have dropped five straight games and 14 of their last 15. Ross Ohlendorf gave up both home runs in 6 1/3 innings.

"I felt like a pitched pretty well, it was just those home runs with guys on base," Ohlendorf said.

Pittsburgh fell to just 18-52 this year on the road, where it hasn't won since August 11 in Colorado. The Pirates visit the Dodgers for three games following this set.

Houston turns this afternoon to Felipe Paulino, who has lost back-to-back starts despite allowing four runs in that span. In fact, Paulino has lost his last four decisions, spanning seven starts that have all been Houston losses.

Paulino, who hasn't won since June 27, gave up two runs over six innings on Tuesday versus the Braves, but the right-hander dropped a 2-1 decision to fall to 2-8 on the season with a 6.34 earned run average.

The righty has made one start and one relief appearance in his career versus the Pirates and has a 3.38 ERA without a decision.

He'll try to pitch the Astros to their first sweep of the Pirates since they took all four games of a home set last year on September 8-11. Houston has won 10 of 14 against the Pirates in 2009, taking six of the eight matchups between the teams at home.

The Pirates will start Paul Maholm, who is 0-1 over his last three starts and is coming off a no-decision versus the Cardinals on Sunday. He allowed four runs on six hits over six innings on that day with seven strikeouts.

The southpaw is 7-8 with a 4.72 ERA on the season and is also pitching to an undesirable 6.09 ERA in 14 road starts.

Maholm, 27, is 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts versus the Astros this year and 7-4 with a 4.44 ERA in 12 career starts against Houston.