Game Recap

Oswalt wins sixth straight start, Astros reach .500

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Roy Oswalt celebrated his first All-Star invitation with his sixth straight win. The Houston Astros may not want the All-Star break to come.

Oswalt allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings and Craig Biggio tied Barry Bonds on the all-time hits list and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch as the Astros posted a 4-2 victory over the injury-riddled Los Angeles Dodgers .

The win was the 17th in 22 games for the Astros (43-43), who are back at .500 for the first time since they were 5-5 on April 16. Since falling to 15-30 on May 24, the Astros are 28-13.

Oswalt (12-7) has been a major part of the resurgence, yielding just six earned runs in 46 1/3 innings over his last six starts. At Minute Maid Park, Oswalt has now won a career-best nine consecutive starts.

Voted to the All-Star team in fan balloting for the final National League roster spot on Wednesday, Oswalt was not at his best, but was good enough to beat the Dodgers, who have five starting position players on the disabled list.

The 27-year-old righthander yielded nine hits and left with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh inning after throwing 117 pitches. Chad Qualls relieved with the Astros holding a 3-1 lead and threw a wild pitch, allowing Ricky Ledee to score and the other runners to advance. But Qualls then struck out Jeff Kent and Jayson Werth to end the inning.

Russ Springer pitched a perfect eighth and All-Star closer Brad Lidge worked a hitless ninth for his 19th save in 22 opportunities.

Biggio singled twice and tied the injured Bonds for 49th place on the hits list with 2,730.

With the game tied at 1-1, Biggio singled with one out in the sixth inning and Lance Berkman followed with a double. Jeff Weaver (7-8) then threw a wild pitch, allowing Biggio to score and advancing Berkman to third. After Morgan Ensberg lined out to third, Mike Lamb delivered an RBI double to increase the lead to 3-1.

The loss was the 18th in 25 games for the Dodgers.