Final Score: New York 7, Houston 4
Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Justin Turner hit a three-run homer and knocked in a career-high five runs, as the New York Mets defeated the Astros, 7-4, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Minute Maid Park.
Jason Pridie added a run-scoring single and stole home for the Mets, who have taken three straight series and have won seven of 10 games overall.
"He loves to play. Here's his chance. He has his opportunity and he's making the most of it," Mets manager Terry Collins said about Turner.
Chris Capuano (3-4) tossed five effective innings to pick up the win and snap a three-start losing streak. The left-hander yielded six hits, two runs, struck out six and walked three. Francisco Rodriguez locked the game down with a perfect ninth to earn his 12th save of the season.
Clint Barmes had a solo homer, while Jason Michaels doubled twice and drove in a run for Houston, which has dropped eight of its last 11 contests.
Aneury Rodriguez (0-2), making his third big-league start, was touched for seven runs -- five earned -- on five hits with four walks and a pair of strikeouts in five-plus frames.
Chris Johnson's RBI single in the second and Michaels' run-scoring double off the center-field fence in the fourth gave Houston the early lead, before the Mets answered with four in the fifth.
Jason Bay reached on an error leading off and Daniel Murphy singled for New York's first hit of the game. Turner then brought in both with a double down the left-field line and Pridie followed with an RBI single.
Later in the inning, with runners on the corners and two away, Jose Reyes stole second base and as J.R. Towles' throw went down to second, Pridie swiped home to put the Mets in front 4-2.
Bay singled and Murphy walked to start the sixth and both came around to score on Turner's blast to left -- his first career homer. Barmes got one back for Houston in the home half on a solo shot to make it 7-3.
Downs' RBI double to center in the eighth off Jason Isringhausen drew the Astros a run closer, but it could have been more. With runners still on second and third, and one out, the veteran right-hander beared down to retire Michael Bourn on a pop up and Towles on a fly ball.
Francisco Rodriguez worked a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth to close out the victory.
Game Notes
Houston took two of three when these teams met at Citi Field in late April...Capuano improved to 6-4 in 14 lifetime games -- 11 starts -- against the Astros...Houston stranded 10 runners on base, while New York left only three.