Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt allowed just two runs in 7 2/3 innings and relief pitcher Jose Valverde survived a ninth inning rally as the club beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4 to 3.

AP

Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt threw 7 2/3 innings to earn his 6th victory of the season.

The victory snapped an Astros 8 game losing streak.

The club jumped on top in the first inning when Carlos Lee hit a liner to left center that scooted on the turf to the wall. That brought home Michael Bourn and Lance Berkman for a 2-0 lead.

But after the Rays cut the lead in half, Kazuo Matsui lifted a shot to center in the fifth inning that carried all the way to the fence, Bourn would scoot home from first upping the lead to 3-1.

Matsui would later score on a Lance Berkman sacrifice fly ball to left field.

But the Rays would rally with runs in both the 8th and 9th inning. Valverde giving up a home run with one out in the 9th, but the Astros held on winning their first game in 10 days.

Oswalt (6-7) gave up two runs and seven hits in 7 2-3 innings with two walks and five strikeouts. The right-hander was coming off an outing last Sunday in which he allowed seven runs over 5 2-3 innings in a 13-0 loss to the New York Yankees.

Valverde earned his 17th save in 21 chances.

Notes:@ Houston broadcaster Milo Hamilton called the Astros first-ever game at Tropicana Field, which is the 56th different major league stadium he has broadcasted a game during his career. ... Berkman (left shin) played first base for the first time since last Saturday. He was the DH in the previous three games atBaltimore. ... Tampa Bay SS Jason Bartlett, who missed Thursday's game after hitting a ball off his left foot in batting practice, was back in the starting lineup. ... Rays CF Rocco Baldelli (chronic muscle fatigue) played his third game this week as the DH for Class A Vero Beach. His rehab program will be re-evaluated this weekend. ... The Astros are 4-0 all-time against the Rays.