Miguel Tejada homered and Brian Moehler pitched seven solid innings against his former team, helping the Houston Astros beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-1 Saturday night.

Moehler also doubled and scored, and Lance Berkman added an RBI single as Houston sent the Reds to their fifth consecutive loss, matching a season high. Cincinnati has had four other five-game losing streaks.

Moehler (8-4), who was 2-4 in 10 games for the Reds in 2002, fell one out short of a complete game against Cincinnati in a win on July 29. He followed that up Saturday by pitching six shutout innings before allowing a run in the seventh.

It was Moehler’s third consecutive win in five starts. The Reds collected just five hits with three strikeouts, and Moehler didn’t walk a batter.

Geoff Geary and Tim Byrdak pitched a scoreless eighth and Jose Valverde pitched the ninth for his 28th save in 34 opportunities.

Houston scored in the first inning for the third consecutive game. Kaz Matsui drew a leadoff walk from Bronson Arroyo, who matched a season high by giving up four walks. Matsui moved to second on Tejada’s single to left and scored on Berkman’s single to right.

Moehler made it 2-0 in the fifth. He led off with a double past the drawn-in Reds outfield for his first hit since May 10, 2007. Moehler moved to third on Matsui’s sacrifice and scored on Arroyo’s wild pitch.

Arroyo (10-9), who was 6-1 in his last seven starts, lasted six innings. He was gave up five hits and two runs with seven strikeouts.

Tejada made it 3-0 in the seventh with his 12th homer of the season, an opposite-field shot into the first row of seats in right in the seventh.

The Reds finally reached Moehler for a run in the seventh on singles by Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips and Edwin Encarnacion’s RBI infield single.

Notes: Houston OF Carlos Lee, the NL’s RBI leader going into the game, left in the third inning with an apparent injury to his left pinkie finger after being hit by a pitch from Arroyo. ... Bruce extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a fourth-inning infield single, tying the season high for rookies set by Oakland’s Ryan Sweeney from May 19 to June 19. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto was placed on the bereavement list, and the contract of IF Adam Rosales was purchased from Triple-A Louisville. ... RHP Marcus McBeth was designated for assignment. Rosales flied out to right field as a pinch-hitter in the sixth in his major league debut.