"Zach Duke was just as effective at the plate as he was on the pitcher's mound Friday, even though the Pirates lost, 6-4, against the Houston Astros.

Duke worked 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. The left-hander walked one, struck out two and lowered his ERA to 3.00.

"Not much I can complain about today," Duke said.

Duke was slated to work six innings, but he was efficient enough to start the seventh in order to boost his pitch count.

"Everything was working," manager John Russell said. "He was down (in the zone), his offspeed pitches were working. When he's like that, he's very efficient."

After giving up T.J. Steele's broken-bat, infield single in the third inning, Duke retired 12 straight. His day ended with Geoff Blum's two-out single in the seventh.

Down 2-0 in the eighth, the Astros scored four runs off relievers Javier Lopez and Jack Taschner. Drew Locke hit a two-out, three-run triple over the head of center fielder Robbie Grossman.

The Pirates tied it with two runs in the ninth. Brandon Moss walked and scored on a wild pitch. Benji Gonzalez's bouncing single to center scored Grossman. Chris Johnson hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth off Jeremy Powell.

The Pirates got seven hits, including two by Duke. In the third, Duke got the Pirates' first hit, a looping double to left off Roy Oswalt. In the fifth, Duke doubled into the right-field corner - drawing some good-natured boos from fans who wanted to see him try for a triple."