Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Lance Berkman's 21st home run of the season supported veteran Brian Moehler's strong pitching performance, as Houston slipped past Texas, 4-3, in the first game of an interleague series at Minute Maid Park.

Moehler (4-3) surrendered one run on five hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts over 6 1/3 frames. Jose Valverde gave up a two-run home run to Ramon Vazquez in the ninth, but managed to record three outs for his 19th save.

Ty Wigginton finished 2-for-3 for the Astros, who have won two straight games and three of four.

"Two games in a row, right? That's what happens when you play well," said Houston manager Cecil Cooper about the brief winning streak. "Good defense, good pitching and timely hitting. That's what the game is all about."

Moehler's counterpart Eric Hurley (0-1) was just nine years old when Moehler was drafted, but he held his own on the mound, giving up two runs on six hits with three walks and one strikeout over six innings.

The Rangers took a quick 1-0 lead in the first on Michael Young's RBI single, but Houston took the lead for good in the second frame. Berkman doubled and scored on Wigginton's base hit, and Humberto Quintero knocked Wigginton home with a two-base hit.

Berkman's two-run shot to right-center in the eighth gave Valverde much-needed insurance in the bottom of the ninth, as the hard-throwing right-hander served up Vazquez's two-run shot to right with one out. Valverde recovered to get the next two outs to nail down the win.

The big news came away from the field, as Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who leads the majors with 76 RBI, left the game in the bottom of the fifth frame with left knee inflammation and is listed as day-to-day.

The Astros dealt with their own injury news prior to the game's first pitch, placing second baseman Kazuo Matsui on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring.