SAN DIEGO -- Shortstop Jed Lowrie, catcher Jason Castro and left fielder Colby Rasmus hit home runs, and the Houston Astros defeated the San Diego Padres 9-4 Monday night for their fourth consecutive win.

The Astros broke a 4-4 tie with three runs in the eighth inning off reliever Joaquin Benoit (3-1), then added two more in the ninth on Rasmus' homer.

Right fielder George Springer scored the go-ahead run in the eighth when catcher Derek Norris' throw to third on Springer's steal attempt sailed into left field for an error.

Rasmus, who finished with three RBIs, and first baseman Chris Cater followed with run-scoring hits.

Pat Neshek (1-0) recorded two seventh-inning outs for the win.

The Padres lost for the fifth time in six games.

Both starters were lifted after six innings with the scored tied at 3, making it a battle of the bullpens.

Houston right-hander Collin McHugh was trying to win his 11th consecutive decision dating to last year. He allowed seven hits and three runs while striking out five.

San Diego's ace, James Shields, had a season-high 12 strikeouts before exiting. He gave up three runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk.

The Padres tied the game, 4-4, in the seventh on second baseman Yangervis Solarte's double, which drove in shortstop Alexi Amarista.

Castro hit a solo homer off reliever Brandon Maurer in the seventh, his second on the season, to give Houston a 4-3 edge.

San Diego tied the game by scoring three runs with two outs in the fifth. Solarte's bloop single to left scored center fielder Wil Myers. It was Myers' double past a diving Rasmus that chased in third baseman Will Middlebrooks and Shields after they singled.

Houston scored two unearned runs in the fifth to extend its cushion to 3-0.

Second baseman Jose Altuve's double scored center fielder Jake Marisnick after he singled and took second on shortstop Alexi Amarista's error. Third baseman Luis Valbuena drove in Altuve with a single.

Lowrie gave the Astros a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when he smacked a Shields changeup into the right field seats. It was Lowrie's fourth homer of the season.

NOTES: Padres RHP Shawn Kelley, on the disabled list with a strained calf, threw a 30-pitch batting practice session. ... Struggling San Diego 2B Jedd Gyorko was out of the lineup again in favor of Yangervis Solarte. Gyorko is hitting. .149. ... According to STATS, LLC, the two shortest players in the Majors shared the field: Houston 2B Jose Altuve and Padres SS Alexi Amarista, both 5-foot-6. ... Astros optioned RHP Asher Wojciechowski to Triple-A Fresno. Wojciechowski was 0-1 with a 7.31 ERA in four games. OF L.J. Hoes was summoned from Triple-A after hitting .418 with 12 RBIs in 15 games. ... Houston manager A.J. Hinch said he is undecided on the starter for Friday's game against the Seattle Mariners.