Dodgers Come Up Short As Altuve Leads Astros 3-1 [VIDEO]

HOUSTON – One night after being no-hit by Mike Fiers, the Dodgers racked up seven hits to Houston's three, but the home run happy Astros defeated Los Angeles 3-1 on Saturday at Minute Maid Park.

It was the second consecutive victory for the Astros, giving clinching the three-game series that features the top two teams in the Western Division.

Zack Greinke gave up two homers for the first time in a year as Jose Altuve and Luis Valbuena both went deep for the Astros.

Altuve was a particularly tough out for the former 2009 CY Young Award winner as the 5 feet 5 inch second baseman went 2-for-3 with a triple, home run and two runs scored against Greinke.

"He doesn't strike out much. Today, he hit all three balls hard," Greinke said of Altuve. "Wrong game plan and good at-bats."

Altuve and Valbuena's offense was all that Astros starter Scott Kazmir would need as the left-hander bounced back from a rough start last week allowing just one run on six hits in six innings of work.

The Dodgers scoreless streak reached 22 innings before Justin Turner knocked in Jimmy Rollins with an RBI single in the sixth inning. Rollins also got a single in the fourth inning to end LA's 13-inning hitless drought that stretched all the way back to Wednesday in Oakland.

Chase Utley recorded his first hit in a Dodgers uniform when he doubled off the right field foul pole in the fifth inning. Utley was traded to the Dodgers on Wednesday, and made his first start at second base on Saturday.

But the one-run was the only offense the Dodgers could muster on the day as they squandered an opportunity to gain ground on the San Francisco Giants who lost the Pirates earlier in the day. The Dodgers currently hold a 1.5 game lead over their rivals in the NL West.