By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON(AP) -- Atlanta manager Bobby Cox thinks Javier Vazquez
would be in the running for the NL Cy Young award if the Braves
had produced better run support for him this season.

Vazquez struck out nine and allowed three hits in seven shutout
innings and the Braves snapped a five-game losing skid with a
2-1 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

Vazquez (12-9) lowered his ERA to 3.06, but Atlanta has scored
three runs or fewer in 13 games he's started and lost 10 of
those.

"He could have 18," Cox said. "He could be right on for Cy
Young. He never gets talked about, but with any luck at all,
he'd be right there with 'em."

Adam LaRoche and Nate McLouth hit solo homers off Felipe Paulino
for Atlanta. Rafael Soriano gave up a run in the ninth, but
recovered to earn his 22nd save.

"It was a good game for us," Vazquez said. "We have to keep
battling and see where we're at. We have to do it."

Miguel Tejada led off the ninth with a triple to center and
scored on Hunter Pence's single. Geoff Blum grounded into a
double play and pinch hitter Aaron Boone lined out to end it.

"We just couldn't get the big hit," Houston manager Cecil Cooper
said. "It's tough to put anything together when you're not
putting the ball in play."

Paulino (2-8) gave up four hits and struck out six in six
innings to lose his fourth straight decision. But the
25-year-old right-hander has looked better with each outing
since he was recalled from the minors on Aug. 18.

"I feel comfortable," he said. "I always try to stay that way in
my mind."

Vazquez fanned Astros leadoff man Michael Bourn to reach 200
strikeouts for the third straight season and fifth time in his
career. Vazquez struck out five of the first 10 hitters he
faced.

LaRoche homered into the Astros' bullpen in the second, his 21st
of the season. LaRoche came in hitting .342 since joining the
Braves in a July 31 trade with Boston.

Paulino missed the strike zone on 25 of his first 50 pitches. He
threw a wild pitch and gave up three walks in the first three
innings.

McLouth homered to right with one out in the fifth, his 17th of
the season. Martin Prado followed with a single to center, but
Paulino picked him off with a quick move to first baseman Lance
Berkman.

Vazquez retired 11 in a row after Carlos Lee's single leading
off the second. Blum lined a two-out single to left in the
Astros' fifth, but Humberto Quintero flew out on Vazquez's next
pitch.

The Astros loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth. Tejada
then hit a hard grounder that ricocheted off Vazquez's glove.
Third baseman Chipper Jones charged in, scooped it up and threw
out Tejada by a step.

"Chipper's play was huge," Vazquez said. "I thought he was going
to be safe when I hit with my glove."

Pence singled and Blum walked leading off the Houston half of
the seventh. Edwin Maysonet advanced the runners with a bunt,
but Vazquez escaped again by striking out Darin Erstad and
Bourn.

"Any time you can put away hitters, you can get out of jams like
that," said catcher Brian McCann. "He beared down right there
and made his best pitches of the night."

Left-hander Mike Gonzalez, who blew a save against Cincinnati on
Sunday, relieved Vazquez in the eighth. Berkman hit a one-out
single before Lee grounded into a double play.

NOTES: LaRoche has hits in 22 of his last 25 games. ... Vazquez
is the sixth active pitcher with five or more 200-strikeout
seasons. The others are Randy Johnson (13), Pedro Martinez (9),
Johan Santana (5) and John Smoltz (5). ... INF Chris Johnson,
whose minor-league contract was purchased by the Astros on
Monday, was beaned by RHP Yorman Bazardo during batting practice
on Tuesday. "It's all right, it was a mistake," Johnson said.
"It happens in baseball. That's why we wear helmets. I'm all
right."