Jared Triolo, who entered with a .152 batting average, had two of Pittsburgh’s five hits against him. Triolo drove a leadoff double in the third inning and scored on two groundouts. Valdez’s only other blip came in the fifth, when Triolo had the first of three straight two-out singles against him.

Pittsburgh’s Mike Burrows held Houston in check into the sixth inning to pick up the first victory of his career as a starter as the Pirates topped the Astros 3-0.