By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON(AP) -- Roy Oswalt just can't figure out the Atlanta
Braves.

Garret Anderson drove in three runs, Nate McLouth homered and
Atlanta broke out of its offensive slump with a 9-7 win over
Oswalt and the Houston Astros on Thursday night.

Brian McCann had four hits and two RBIs for the Braves, who
finished with 16 hits, two shy of their season high. Atlanta's
run total was its highest since a 9-1 win over Philadelphia on
Aug. 29.

"We did a lot of hitting," manager Bobby Cox said. "Everyone
seemed to chip in with it."

Oswalt (8-6) gave up six runs and 10 hits - matching a season
worst - in two innings, dropping to 0-3 with a 7.58 ERA in seven
career starts against Atlanta.

"He left some pitches up, which he normally doesn't do," McCann
said. "We were able to put some good swings on it. It was
definitely something we needed to do."

The Braves had scored a total of 10 runs and batted .153 in
their previous six games, but led 3-0 after 12 pitches.

Oswalt left his previous start with soreness in his back and
departed the clubhouse without speaking to reporters after this
one, but manager Cecil Cooper said the right-hander's back
wasn't bothering him.

"It looked like the ball was coming out of his hand OK, but he
was just having trouble getting his pitches where he needed
them," Cooper said. "The back wasn't an issue. I went over to
him and asked him about it, but he told me it was fine."

Lance Berkman hit a three-run homer for the Astros, who lost for
the third time in Oswalt's last 13 starts.

Houston put two runners on with one out in the ninth against
Mike Gonzalez, but Miguel Tejada grounded into his third double
play of the game. Gonzalez earned his 10th save.

"I wish I could do better than I did, but that is part of the
game," said Tejada, who became the first Astros player to ground
into three double plays. "I try to do good every day, but today
was the kind of day where nothing was working out for me."

McLouth hit the second pitch of the game into the Astros'
bullpen, his second homer of the series. Yunel Escobar then
doubled to left-center and scored on Chipper Jones' single to
right.

McCann ended an 0-for-20 slump with a single and Jones scored on
Anderson's sacrifice fly to left.

Atlanta added three more in the second. McCann doubled in
McLouth to give the Braves a 4-1 lead. Anderson and Adam LaRoche
added RBI singles.

Tejada thought Oswalt's back must have been hurting, despite
what he told Cooper.

"I was surprised to see the way he was," Tejada said. "He is one
of those pitchers that just does not ever give in. We have to
think he did what he did because of his back."

Derek Lowe (14-9) allowed five runs and nine hits in 5 2-3
innings, managing to win for the second time in five starts. The
right-hander reached 14 wins for the sixth time in 13 seasons
but is disappointed with his year.

"It's been kind of a struggle for me," Lowe said. "If it was a
normal year, where you're a lot more consistent, then you can
kind of settle down. But this is kind of how I've been pitching
for so long. It's been a long season."

Berkman hit his 19th homer off the facade in left center in the
third, cutting Atlanta's lead to 6-4. Umpires used instant
replay to confirm the ball cleared the yellow line by about a
foot.

The first baseman hadn't homered in 32 games, one shy of the
longest drought of his career.

NOTES: Atlanta reached 10 hits for the first time since an 8-7
loss to Florida on Sept. 2. ... McLouth has three leadoff homers
this season and six in his career. ... Houston 3B Geoff Blum was
out of the lineup after bruising his left shin and spraining his
left ankle sliding into second base on Wednesday. "We'll give
him a few days," Cooper said. Chris Johnson, whose minor league
contract was purchased on Monday, made his first major league
start in Blum's place. ... Berkman has 307 career homers, sixth
all-time among switch hitters.