Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Brandon Backe pitched 5 2/3 innings and added a solo home run as the Houston Astros downed the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-2, in the second of a three-game set at Minute Maid Park.

Backe (2-3) gave up two runs on five hits with five walks and three strikeouts while Michael Bourn added a solo home run for the Astros, who have won three of their last four games.

Manny Para (1-2) got the loss as he gave up six runs -- five earned -- on nine hits in four-plus innings while Rickie Weeks added a solo home run for the Brewers, who have dropped three of their last four.

Weeks led off the game with a shot over the left field wall to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Houston tied the game in the third when Lance Berkman grounded into a fielder's choice that allowed Kazuo Matsui to cross the plate.

In the fifth, the Astros scored five times to take a 6-1 lead. Backe led off the frame with a home run over the left field wall and Bourn followed with a shot over the right field wall. Matsui followed with a single, stole second and crossed the plate on a double from Miguel Tejada. Berkman followed with a single and, with Carlos Lee at the plate, Para threw a wild pitch that enabled Tejada to score. After Lee worked a walk, Dave Bush took the mound for Milwaukee.

A passed ball allowed both runners to move up a base and Hunter Pence then punched a single to left that scored Berkman for a five-run lead.

The Brewers got a run back in the sixth on Corey Hart's RBI single that scored Mike Cameron to make it a 6-2 game.

That was as close as Milwaukee got, though, and Jose Valverde retired the Brewers in order in the ninth to close out the contest.