Myers, Astros snap Rays' streak

The Houston Astros don't want to make too much out of one win.

But in a season with so few, this one felt good.

Brett Myers didn't allow an earned run in seven innings and the lowly Astros snapped the mighty Tampa Bay Rays' six-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory last night in Houston.

Hours after the last-place Astros (15-27) confirmed that ace pitcher Roy Oswalt had requested a trade, the worst team in the National League beat baseball's top team, handing the Rays just their 12th loss in 42 games.

"They're the best team in baseball, so it's a confidence-booster for us, knowing we can beat anybody as long as we pitch good and get some timely hitting," closer Matt Lindstrom said.

Hunter Pence broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the sixth inning. Myers (3-3) yielded six hits and struck out seven.

"Every win right now is magnified for us," said Myers, a former Phillie who signed as a free agent. "We can't look too far ahead, but we'll enjoy it tonight and try to come back tomorrow and get another one."

Rays starter Matt Garza (5-2) allowed six hits and two runs in eight innings. He struck out six and walked three.

Jeff Keppinger doubled in the sixth inning before Garza walked Lance Berkman on four pitches. Berkman was forced out, but Carlos Lee reached after the one-hop throw to first was late. Pence's line drive single to shallow center sent Keppinger home and gave Houston a 2-1 lead.

"We just continue to play hard and things like that can happen," Pence said. "Every win you want to be a springboard, but really and truly you just have to keep coming every day prepared."

In other interleague games:

* At Phoenix, starter Dan Haren (5-3) collected two doubles and three RBI, along with the win, in an 8-6 Diamondbacks win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

* At New York, Javier Vazquez pitched one-hit ball for six innings before becoming the latest pinstriped player to leave with an injury and the visiting Yankees took advantage of more inept Mets' play to win the opener of the Subway Series, 2-1. Making his first start in 9 days, Vazquez (3-4) left after he was hit on the finger laying down a sacrifice bunt in the two-run seventh.

* At St. Louis, Cardinals righthander Brad Penny hit a grand slam in the third inning, apparently injuring his back on the swing, before St. Louis' bullpen took over in a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Penny lasted only a few warmup pitches in the bottom of the inning before leaving.

* At Minneapolis, Jason Kubel and the Minnesota Twins battered a frustrated Dave Bush for seven first-inning runs and beat sputtering Milwaukee, 15-3.

* At Washington, David Hernandez ended a run of 16 straight starts without a victory, Adam Jones broke out of a lengthy home-run drought, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Nationals, 5-3. Baltimore took an early 4-0 lead and made it stand up in this interleague duel dubbed "The Battle of the Beltways."

* At Kansas City, Jose Guillen hit two home runs and drove in three runs as the Royals defeated the Colorado Rockies, 9-2.

* At Arlington, Texas, Colby Lewis labored through six innings for his first victory in five starts and Nelson Cruz drove in the tiebreaking run for the Rangers in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

* At Cleveland, Laynce Nix had three hits, including a tiebreaking double in the sixth inning, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-4 win over the Indians.

* At Chicago, Mark Buehrle pitched eight scoreless innings to win for the first time in six decisions, Alexei Ramirez drove in five runs and the White Sox defeated the Florida Marlins, 8-0.

In a National League game:

* At Pittsburgh, Jason Heyward homered and drove in three runs to support Tim Hudson's eight dominating innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the Pirates, 7-0, for their fourth consecutive win.

* According to the New York Daily News, Brian McNamee is scheduled to appear Tuesday before a grand jury that will decide whether to indict Roger Clemens for lying under oath to Congress. Clemens' former trainer has said he injected the pitcher with steroids and HGH over a period of several years, a claim the seven-time Cy Young Award winner has denied.

* Washington Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner says he'll keep shagging pregame fly balls despite a recent mishap. Lerner was hit on the nose by a fly during batting practice before Thursday night's game against the Mets. The gash on the bridge of his nose needed 30 stitches.

In other news, outfielder Willy Taveras has been released.

* Mets pitcher John Maine is heading to the disabled list with right shoulder weakness, a day after getting pulled from his start after only five pitches and getting into a dugout spat with manager Jerry Manuel. Maine spent 3 months on the disabled list last year with a tired right shoulder.

* The Oakland A's activated new centerfielder and leadoff man Coco Crisp, who had been on the DL with a broken pinkie on his left hand.