Astros 4, Brewers 0
Astros 4, Brewers 0: Jed Lowrie belted two-run homer to highlight a four-run fourth inning and J.A. Happ pitched six shutout innings as Houston swept a two-game series from visiting Milwaukee.
After Carlos Lee led off the fourth with a single, Lowrie lifted Shaun Marcum’s 3-2 pitch over the right-field wall for his team-leading fifth blast. Chris Snyder and Jordan Schafer added RBI singles later in the inning for a 4-0 lead.
Happ (3-3), who had given up 10 runs in 10 innings over his previous two starts, allowed seven hits and one walk. The left-hander struck out four.
Milwaukee loaded the bases with one out in the third, but Happ retired 2011 NL MVP Ryan Braun on a pop up and clean-up hitter Aramis Ramirez on a groundout to end the threat. Happ also escaped one-out jams in the fifth and sixth, stranding runners at second and third both times.
Marcum (2-2) allowed nine hits and four runs – three earned – in losing for the first time in three decisions against Houston.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Houston pitcher Wilton Lopez issued his first walk of the season in the eighth. It was the 79th batter he’s faced and was the longest streak for a reliever to start the season since John Smoltz went 92 without a walk in 2004. … Milwaukee is 5-10 in May and 7-13 overall on the road this season. … Houston’s Jose Altuve had three hits, including two against Marcum to improve to 5-for-7 against him. … Milwaukee’s Norichika Aoki had three hits and has seven in his last three starts.