(Best E Casino) - Lefty Garrett Olson can stay perfect in front of the home fans tonight when the Baltimore Orioles host the Houston Astros in the first of three interleague games at Camden Yards.

Olson, a supplemental pick of the Orioles in the 2005 draft, is pristine after four home starts in 2008, going 3-0 and posting a 2.66 earned run average in 23 2/3 innings while walking 11 batters and striking out 21.

He's won two of his last three decisions overall as well, including a 6-1 defeat of the New York Yankees on May 26, when he gave up three hits over seven scoreless innings.

A 24-year-old Californian, Olson reached the majors last season and made seven starts, going 1-3 with a 7.79 ERA in 32 1/3 innings.

Slumping right-hander Brandon Backe tries to snap a three-start skid for the Astros.

Backe was 4-5 in 2008 after a May 23 defeat of Philadelphia, but has since lost consecutive decisions to Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Milwaukee again.

In that trio, he's allowed 22 hits and 14 runs in 15 innings.

Backe is 0-1 in five appearances against Baltimore with a 6.75 ERA in 9 1/3 innings.

On Sunday in Houston, Alex Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, as the New York Yankees crushed the Astros, 13-0, to complete the three-game sweep.

Roy Oswalt (5-7) took the loss as he was roughed up for seven runs -- three earned -- on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings of work while fanning six and walking four. Oswalt did manage two hits, though. Michael Bourn also finished with two hits for the Astros, who have dropped 14 of their last 17.

In Baltimore, Adam LaRoche's run-scoring single in the top of the 10th inning lifted Pittsburgh over the Orioles, 5-4, in the finale of a three-game set at Camden Yards.

After the Orioles evened things with a dramatic two-out, two-run home run by Brian Roberts off Matt Capps in the ninth, the Pirates bounced right back in the 10th.

George Sherrill (2-2) walked Jason Bay and Ryan Doumit quickly followed with a single, putting runners on the corners. After Jason Michaels struck out swinging, LaRoche laced, what proved to be the game-winner, to right.

The O's had seen enough of Sherrill at that point and went to Lance Cormier, who managed to wiggle out of any further trouble. But, the Baltimore offense couldn't respond again and Capps (1-2) worked a 1-2-3 10th to finally secure things.

Guillermo Quiroz and Aubrey Huff also homered for the Orioles, who won the first two games in the series.

Daniel Cabrera allowed four runs on six hits and five walks in six innings on the hill.

Baltimore swept a three-game series at Camden Yards the last time these teams played back in 2005.

Tonight's contest also features the return to Baltimore for shortstop Miguel Tejada, who played four seasons for the Orioles after signing a monster six- year, $72 million deal prior to the 2004 campaign. He was dealt this offseason for five players.