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Final Score: Pittsburgh 9 - Houston 3

Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Freddy Sanchez drove in four runs, including a three-run inside-the-park homer, as the Pittsburgh Pirates used a seven- run ninth to upend Houston, 9-3, in the opener of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

Sanchez had three hits and scored two runs while Jason Bay tied the game in the ninth with a solo shot as part of a four-hit effort. Adam LaRoche hit what was the go-ahead, two-run homer following Bay in the ninth while Nate McLouth and Xavier Nady had three hits apiece, helping Pittsburgh snap a five- game losing streak. Tyler Yates (4-2) was handed the win after tossing a scoreless eighth.

Carlos Lee had two RBI singles and Brad Ausmus was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Kazuo Matsui notched three hits in defeat, scoring once for Houston, which dropped its second straight after a four-game win streak.

Jose Valverde (4-3) entered in the ninth for Houston, allowing Bay to golf a deep home run out to left, tying the game at three. Nady followed with a single and LaRoche drove out an opposite field shot to deep left for a two-run lead. A single by Jose Bautista and a walk to Jason Michaels spelled more damage as Jack Wilson became the sixth consecutive Pirate to reach base with an RBI single to center.

Valverde was pulled in favor of Tim Byrdak, who sent down McLouth on strikes but Sanchez cracked a second-pitch slider to deep right-center. The ball caromed off an angle in the fence, sending the ball rolling down the right field warning track and past a chasing Hunter Pence. Sanchez chugged around the bases, effectively blowing the game open. Byrdak mercifully was able to retire Ryan Doumit on strikes to end the seven-run ninth.

Denny Bautista worked around a leadoff single from Darin Erstad in the bottom half to wrap up a furious Pittsburgh comeback win.

In a battle of starters recalled from Triple-A earlier Monday, Pittsburgh's John Van Benschoten pitched adequately, allowing three runs - two earned - on six hits and four walks over five frames. Houston's Runelvys Hernandez was slightly better though, giving up two runs on eight hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. Both received no-decisions for their efforts.

Both teams put a run on the board in the third. Pittsburgh's Sanchez singled back through the middle with one away, moved to second on a ground out and crossed home on a Bay RBI infield single.

Houston's Matsui stroked a one-out double to left, moved to third on a ground out and crossed home on a two-out RBI single to right from Lee.

The Astros pulled ahead with a run in the fourth. Pence reached on an error, stole second and scored on a Ausmus double to right.

The teams again traded runs in the fifth. McLouth led off with a double to right for the visitors and scored on a Sanchez single through the right side.

Michael Bourn started the home half by legging out an infield single down the left field line, moved to second when Lance Berkman worked a walk and came around to score on a Lee single to left.

Houston loaded them up off Sean Burnett with one out in the sixth but John Grabow came on to get Berkman swinging and Lee on a fly ball to right.