With the undermanned Astros’ offense struggling to score runs, the starting pitchers are being left with little margin for error these days. And the only run Astros starter Framber Valdez allowed in M

Riley Adams hits a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning, lifting the Washington Nationals to a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros.

Four Houston pitchers -- starter Framber Valdez and relievers Bryan King, Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader -- combined for 19 strikeouts. However, the Astros managed only four hits in a 2-1 loss to the Nationals, their sixth consecutive home loss and fifth straight defeat overall.

Lowe delivers a game-tying double in the sixth before Adams homers an inning later and the Nationals’ bullpen holds things down in a 2-1 win on the road.

To beat the Astros on a night in which Framber Valdez’s curveball was untouchable, the Nationals were going to need an equally effective outing from starter-turned-reliever-turned-starter Brad Lord, just enough offense from a lineup missing James Wood to give themselves a lead and then zeros from their bullpen to close things out.

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Rookie second baseman Brice Matthews, who swatted his first two career home runs and drove in five of Houston’s six runs in Monday’s win, rescued the Astros again Tuesday with a two-run homer in the e