Houston, TX (Best E Casino) - Darin Erstad drove in the game-winning run in the 10th inning as the Houston Astros came from behind to down the New York Mets, 5-4, in the middle portion of a three-game set at Minute Maid Park.

Kaz Matsui hit a home run, tripled and scored twice while Geoff Blum delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single in the ninth for the Astros, who have won five of their last six.

Roy Oswalt got the start and gave up four runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in six innings of work. Jose Valverde (5-3) got the win for pitching a scoreless 10th.

Damion Easley hit a two-run home run and Johan Santana had another strong outing as he gave up just one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings of work for the Mets, who have dropped three straight and now sit two games behind Philadelphia for first place in the NL East. New York also finds itself in third place, a half-game behind Florida.

Aaron Heilman (1-6) was saddled with the loss, charged with the winning run without recording an out.

With the Mets holding a 4-2 lead, Billy Wagner came on to close the game in the ninth, but failed and blew his seventh save of the season.

Mark Loretta led off with a double and Hunter Pence then singled to put runners at the corners. After Erstad struck out, Brad Ausmus walked to load the bases.

Blum then delivered a pinch-hit single to left. Loretta waited at third to see if the hit was going to drop and arrived at home plate with Pence hot on his heels. Loretta crashed into Ramon Castro as the ball arrived at the plate and the catcher was unable to hold on, allowing both runners to score. Castro left the game with a mild right ankle strain was replaced by Brian Schneider behind the plate. Wagner got the next two outs to force extra innings.

After the Mets were retired in the 10th, Houston loaded the bases with one out. Erstad stepped in and hit a line drive to left that Dan Murphy made a diving catch on, but Berkman was able to cross the plate before the throw.

The game began on a better note for the visitors.

The Mets took the lead in the second as Murphy punched a one-out single and Easley followed by crushing the first pitch he saw over the left field wall.

New York tacked on two more in the third. Jose Reyes started the frame and reached second base after his grounder was thrown away by Loretta. Carlos Beltran followed with a double to bring home Reyes. Beltran then moved to third on a ground out from David Wright and Carlos Delgado followed with a sacrifice fly for a 4-0 lead.

The Astros got a run back in the fourth. Matsui led off the frame with a triple to dead center and later scored on a Carlos Lee single. The Astros had an opportunity to do more damage in the frame as the team had the bases loaded with one out, but Pence struck out and Erstad popped out to end the frame.

Houston threatened in the seventh as the team put its first two batters on base, a walk to Pence and Erstad getting hit by a pitch. After Ausmus flied out, Ty Wigginton came on to pinch-hit and Duaner Sanchez relieved Santana. Wigginton worked a full count before crushing a changeup to left field. Murphy backed up to the fence and made a leaping catch at the scoreboard, then threw the ball to second and got Pence to turn the double play and end the inning.

Matsui led off the eighth as he drilled a pitch over the left field wall to make it a 4-2 game.

Game Notes

Murphy, who was called up before the game from Triple-A New Orleans, made his major-league debut in the game and finished 1-for-4 with a run scored. He took the spot of Marlon Anderson, who was put on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring...It is Houston's first series win against the Mets since 2005...The Astros have won 13 games this season in the last at- bat.