Pirates 7, Astros 1: Musgrove's rocky first dooms Astros in loss at Pittsburgh

• Adam Frazier single
• Matt Joyce RBI double
• Andrew McCutchen RBI double
• Gregory Polanco RBI single
• David Freese single
• Josh Bell RBI single

Six hits in six batters to start the bottom of the first inning for the Pirates against Houston starter Joe Musgrove was too much for Houston to overcome Tuesday night in a 7-1 loss.

Three of the four left-handed hitters in that sequence (Joyce, Polanco and Bell) went the other way against Musgrove for their base hits as Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle decided some lefties in the lineup would actually be a good idea compared to his puzzling Monday nine.

Give credit to Musgrove, who settled down to allow just one more run in his next three innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the fifth inning.

Meanwhile, the Astros offense couldn't do much against former Yankee Ivan Nova, as the righty threw a complete game. Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve hit back-to-back doubles in the ninth inning to score Houston's lone run. Marwin Gonzalez had three of the Astros' six hits.

The Astros finished 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position as they saw their winning streak come to an end at four games.

In relief Tony Sipp allowed a run in an inning. Brad Peacock went two, allowing a run on two hits and and two walks, and Michael Feliz threw a scoreless frame in the eighth.

Houston still as a chance to win the series with an early 11:35 CT start Wednesday morning.