Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Alex Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and scored three times, and Mike Mussina was efficient on the mound to pick up his 10th victory, as the New York Yankees beat the Houston Astros, 8-4, in the second test of a three-game set from Minute Maid Park.

Mussina (10-4) went six innings and gave up three runs on six hits while fanning four batters. Wilson Betemit, Melky Cabrera and Jose Molina each had two runs batted in. Robinson Cano had a pinch-hit RBI for the victors as the Yankees won their third straight to move three games over .500 (36-33) for the first time this season.

Wandy Rodriguez (2-3) was dealt the loss as he was roughed up for five runs on six hits in five frames. Carlos Lee had a three-run homer, while Brad Ausmus drove in the other run in defeat.

Geoff Geary was on the mound for the Astros in the eighth and gave up a lead off single to Cabrera. Molina then bunted him into scoring position and Cano singled up the middle to score Cabrera, giving the Yankees their two-run lead back, 6-4.

Johnny Damon opened the ninth with his 20th double of the year, and after Derek Jeter was caught looking at the third strike, Bobby Abreu moved him to third with a groundout. Rodriguez was given an intentional walk before Betemit doubled off the wall in left to score two runs.

Edwar Ramirez took to the hill for the Yankees in the ninth and gave up a single to Lee. Ty Wigginton went down swinging for the first out, Michael Bourn was caught looking at the third strike for the second out and Ausmus flied out to left to end the game.

The Astros took an early 3-0 lead thanks to Lee's 14th homer of the year. Hunter Pence led off the home first with a double to right. Kaz Matsui bunted him over to third, but Miguel Tejada hit a grounder to third, where Rodriguez threw home to Molina, who tagged out Pence in a rundown. Lance Berkman then singled to center before Lee deposited a Mussina offering deep into the left field seats.

The Yankees got a pair of runs back in the second inning. Rodriguez opened the frame with a home run that landed just out of the reach of Pence's glove beyond the right field wall when a fan pushed the glove out of the way. Jason Giambi kept it going with a stand-up double to the gap in right-center. Cabrera then belted a double to right that scored Giambi.

New York took a 5-3 lead in the third. Damon led off with a single and stole second base. Jeter and Abreu both flied out, but three consecutive walks to Rodriguez, Giambi and Cabrera scored a run. Molina then crushed a two-run single to left field, however, Alberto Gonzalez went down swinging to kill the rally.

Houston mounted a rally in the seventh to make it a one-run game. Ross Ohlendorf took over for Mussina prior to the start of the frame and gave up a one-out single to Bourn. Ausmus followed with an RBI double down the line in left and moved to third as pinch-hitter Geoff Blum grounded out to first. Pence grounded out to end the threat.