HOUSTON (AP) – Adam Everett hit a two-out, three-run double in the eighth inning to lift the Houston Astros over the Texas Rangers 5-3 Friday night.

Texas reliever Joaquin Benoit (0-1) walked the bases loaded before Everett’s shot just short of the left-field wall on a full count scored Lance Berkman, Brad Ausmus and Eric Munson.

The comeback victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Astros, who had lost 10 of their last 13.

Chad Qualls (2-1) tossed 1 2-3 perfect innings to get the win and Brad Lidge got the last three outs for his first save since May 4 and his 12th this season.

Gary Matthews Jr. hit his second double of the game in the seventh inning and scored on Michael Young’s single to give Texas a 3-2 lead. Matthews barely beat the throw home and collided with catcher Brad Ausmus.

Astros starter Roy Oswalt then walked Mark Teixeira before a single by Hank Blalock loaded the bases. Oswalt was replaced by Qualls to loud cheers from the crowd of more than 40,000. He struck out Kevin Mench and got Brad Wilkerson to ground out to first.

Oswalt allowed a season-high 11 hits with three runs and three strikeouts.

Robinson Tejada, recalled from Triple-A to start Friday’s game, allowed two hits, one run and struck out six in five innings. He didn’t allow a hit until Morgan Ensberg’s double in the fourth in his first appearance against Houston. He was replaced by Rick Bauer, who allowed three hits and one run in one inning.

Astros manager Phil Garner shook up the lineup, making Willy Taveras the leadoff batter, but Houston still struggled, managing just five hits, until Everett’s shot in the eighth.

Mark DeRosa rebounded from Thursday’s hitless performance and doubled to right in the third inning before scoring on a single by Young. He scored again in the fifth when he got on with another double and came around on Matthews’ single.

Houston tied it at 1 when Ensberg scored on a sacrifice fly by Preston Wilson in the fourth.

In the sixth, Ensberg got on when his grounder off Bauer bounced off the glove of third baseman Hank Blalock. Ausmus eventually singled in Ensberg to tie it at 2.

Notes: Astros OF Chris Burke began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Round Rock on Friday. He is scheduled to return to Houston on Sunday for an evaluation. He has been on the disabled list since May 6 with an injured left shoulder. … Rangers reliever Scott Feldman was replaced after facing just two batters in the seventh when he injured his ankle chasing down the speedy Taveras after a bunt.

AP-ES-05-19-06 2339EDT

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