HOUSTON — Chris Carter homered twice, including a go-ahead three-run shot in the seventh, to back seven strong innings from Bud Norris and give the Houston Astros a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.
The victory breaks a five-game skid for the Astros, who had been shut out in their last two games.
Carter broke a 22-inning scoring drought for Houston with his solo homer in the second off Roberto Hernandez (4-10) that tied it 1-1. He connected on a full-count pitch from Jake McGee on his second home run to make it 4-1 in the seventh.
Carter leads the Astros with 17 homers and his 44 RBIs are tied for the team lead.
Norris (6-7) allowed six hits and one run with five strikeouts to break a three-game losing streak and pick up his first win since June 1. Jose Veras allowed a hit in a scoreless ninth for his 17th save.
Hernandez allowed four hits and three runs in six-plus innings for his fourth consecutive loss.
James Loney had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 14 games and Ben Zobrist drove in Tampa Bay's only run with a sacrifice fly in the first.
Carter's homer in the second pinged off the facade on the wall above the Crawford Boxes in left field, giving the Astros their first earned run in 31 innings.
