Carlos Lee hit a three-run homer in the seventh and Bud Norris tossed seven solid innings as the Houston Astros earned a split of their four-game series with the New York Mets by posting a 3-2 victory on Thursday.

Limited to one hit over the first six innings, the Astros got to Mets starter Pat Misch early in the seventh. Angel Sanchez and Hunter Pence began the frame with singles before Lee launched a first-pitch offering over the wall in left for his 16th blast of the season and a 3-2 edge.

Misch (0-2) had retired 16 batters in a row prior to Sanchez's leadoff single in the seventh, entering the inning having allowed only Pence's two-out double in the first. One day after his 29th birthday, the left-hander exited after Lee's homer, surrendering three runs and four hits with one strikeout.

Norris (6-7) posted his fourth straight win in his first career appearance against New York. Fresh off a career-best 14-strikeout effort, the 25-year-old yielded two runs and two hits with four strikeouts and a pair of walks.

Wilton Lopez pitched a scoreless eighth and Brandon Lyon worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save in six opportunities.

The Mets, who were held to fewer than four runs for the 14th time in 17 games, scored twice in the fourth to take the lead. Jeff Francoeur had an RBI groundout and Chris Carter followed with a single that plated David Wright, who was back in the lineup after leaving Wednesday's game with an illness.