Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Rod Barajas knocked in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates handed the Houston Astros their 12th consecutive defeat, 4-3, on Saturday at Minute Maid Park. Cheap Jerseys Direct . The Astros loss established a new club record for futility, as they had previously dropped 11 straight in 1995. Alex Presley and Neil Walker clubbed solo home runs for the Pirates, who have won four straight games and 16 of their last 22. Garrett Jones added two hits in the victory. Chris Resop (1-3) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief behind starter -- and former Astro -- Wandy Rodriguez, who went six solid innings and allowed three runs on six hits in his Pirates debut. With Joel Hanrahan, the league-leader in saves, unavailable, the Pirates went to Jason Grill. He tossed a perfect ninth to lock down his second save of the season. Justin Maxwell ripped a two-run triple and Carlos Corporan added an RBI single in the loss. Chuckie Fick (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing a run on two hits and a walk in one inning. With the game tied, 3-3, heading into the eighth, Andrew McCutchen worked a leadoff walk and Jones singled up the middle. Fernando Rodriguez came in from the Houston bullpen and retired Walker and Pedro Alvarez, but left a pitch up to Barajas, who ripped it into left field to score McCutchen. Grilli retired the side in order in the ninth to preserve the victory. Earlier, Pittsburgh opened the scoring in the first inning when Presley got a sinker from Houston starter Armando Galarraga and blasted it over the wall in right, but the Astros got the run right back in the second against their former teammate. Maxwell and Ben Francisco drew consecutive walks to start the frame and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Brian Bixler before Corporan smoked a single to left to tie the game. The Bucs took the lead in the fourth when Walker laced another high sinker from Galarraga into the second deck in right field for his 10th long ball of the season. Houston grabbed the lead in the fifth when Jose Altuve singled to start the inning and Matt Downs reached on an infield single. Wandy Rodriguez got Chris Johnson and J.D. Martinez to fly out and went to two strikes on Maxwell, but he left a fastball up in the zone and Maxwell ripped it off the wall in right to score both runners for a 3-2 advantage. McCutchen singled to begin the Pittsburgh sixth, Jones reached on a fielders choice and Walker was plunked by Wesley Wright to load the bases with no outs. Alvarez grounded into a 2-3 double play and it looked as if Wright was going to escape unscathed, but, with Barajas at the plate, he uncorked a breaking ball the got past Corporan and allowed Jones to score the tying run. Game Notes The Pirates have gone 15-2 in games played on Saturdays this season, including a 6-2 mark on the road...Pittsburgh has hit at least one home run in 18 consecutive road games...The Pirates have posted three consecutive winning months for the first time since doing so every month during the 1991 season...Pittsburgh improved to 9-1 against the Astros this season...It was Altuves 36th multi-hit game of the season...The Bucs are 50-0 when leading after seven innings this season...Rodriguez was traded to Pittsburgh on Tuesday in exchange for outfielder Robbie Grossman and pitcher Rudy Owens. He posted 80 wins in an Astros uniform, 10th-most in team history...Galarraga allowed three runs -- two earned -- on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Cheap Jerseys Paypal .ca looks back at the stories that made the year memorable. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale . PETERSBURG, Russia -- Top-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia beat Canadian Vasek Pospisil 7-6 (4), 6-1 Tuesday to advance to the second round of the St. http://facialhairstyleshq.... . -- Alex Ovechkin is injured. [url=http://facialhairstyleshq.info/cheapjerseys.html]Cheap Jerseys . "I am a true fan of Kevin," Belli said Saturday. "When I decided to retire (after the 2010 season), he tried to convince he to come out of retirement to play for the Cats (Hamilton Tiger-Cats). Cheap Jerseys No Fees . On Saturday night, it was a big one. Luebke outpitched Roy Halladay and San Diego beat Philadelphia 5-1, snapping the Phillies 13-game winning streak at Petco Park.MONTREAL -- Catcher Russell Martin says hes ready to play shortstop or any other position on the field if it will help Canada win at the World Baseball Classic. The recently signed Pittsburgh Pirate says hell even add fielding grounders to his winter training program in case Canada manager Ernie Whitt opts to use him in the infield. Hed even consider playing shortstop in the unlikely case that the Pirates ever ask him to switch positions. "I dont want to do something thats not going to help the team, whether its Pittsburgh or Team Canada," Martin told reports Wednesday on a conference call. "I know I have the ability to play shortstop. "I havent played there in a long time. I know the speed of the game is going to be higher than when I last played (in high school and college). But right now, if it means I can help the team by playing shortstop for Canada then Ill do that. "And in Pittsburgh, if they need me to play other positions, Im able to do that as well. I feel I can play any position on the field and play it well." Martin, of Chelsea, Que., recently told Greg Hamilton, director of national teams for Baseball Canada, that he was willing to play shortstop at the third edition of the Classic in March. Canada does not have a shortstop in the major leagues, but it has another catcher in George Kottaras of the Oakland As. "The only reason it came up is that on Team Canada theres no depth at shortstop and theres a little bit more depth at catching," he said. "Dont get me wrong. I love catching." Martin, who took the call while on vacation in Barcelona, said he is anxious to play in the world tournament, where Canada did not advance past the first round in previous editions in 2006 and 2009, both won by Japan. But his main concern is getting ready for his first season with the Pirates, who signed the free agent to a two-year US$17 million contract last week. He will hhead to Arizona in early January to get down to work. Cheap Jerseys Supply. Martin has much to work on. Since his best season in 2007 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he battled .293 in 540 at-bats with 19 home runs, his average has slipped each year. Last season, his second with the New York Yankees, he hit a paltry .211, although with a career-high 21 homers. "Ill be spending a lot of time in the batting cage, thats the only way to do, it," said the 2007 Tip ONeill Award winner as Canadas top player. "Im putting the ball in play. Im not striking out a lot, but maybe Im going for the long ball too much." Martin turned down two years at $20 million from the Yankees during training camp and was not given another offer at seasons end. As a free agent, he attracted offers from Pittsburgh and Texas, but the Rangers bid was not in the a same neighbourhood as the Pirates. "I though it was a good fit in Pittsburgh so I took it," he said. He will miss the Yankees, who he called a classy organization, but looks forward to being a bigger part of the team in Pittsburgh, where he said hell likely bat higher in the order and get more RBI chances. The Pirates are recovering from a dreadful final two months of the 2012 campaign. They were 64-48 in early August and looked a lock to post their first .500-plus season in 19 years, but crashed to 79-83. "New York is an exceptional city, theres always things to do, but times change," he said. "Now Im a Pirate and Im excited because I think Ill have a more important role there. "I feel Ill be appreciated more as a player in Pittsburgh than New York. Not that I wasnt in New York, but I think they need me more in Pittsburgh. "The fans there love sports -- the Steelers, hockey with Sid the Kid. The only thing missing is a winning baseball team. If I can help bring the team back over .500 and into the playoffs that would be great." ' ' '