(Photo credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

Before a six-run eighth inning set the stage for closer Josh Hader to make his season debut and lock down Houston's 11-9 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Astros received another dose of positive news on Wednesday.

Nine-time All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve participated in a light batting practice and took a crucial step in his return from the 10-day injured list.

Altuve landed on the IL with a left oblique strain on May 18, and the Astros improved to 9-7 in his absence while squaring their three-game interleague series with the Pirates.

The decisive contest of the set will be Thursday night in Houston.

'He looked good,' Astros manager Joe Espada said of Altuve. 'He took a ton of swings. Ran the bases, did his defense.'

Espada wasn't ready to declare that Altuve would be reinstated for the weekend series against the visiting Athletics. Altuve will complete a more rigorous batting practice session on Thursday before a decision regarding his availability is made.

Altuve seemed ready to rejoin the active roster, or at least advance the timeline for his return.

'I don't like wasting time,' Altuve said. 'If we can get back one day, two days earlier than what we thought, we'd be good with it.

'Everything feels great. We're getting some momentum to get back to 100%. I like where I'm at.'

Hader, who had been out with left biceps tendinitis, pitched one scoreless, hitless inning on Wednesday, with one walk and one strikeout.

Right-hander Kai-Wei Teng (3-3, 2.57 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Astros in the rubber match of the series on Thursday.

Teng did not factor into the decision of a 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers last Friday after allowing three runs on three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in five innings.

He posted back-to-back scoreless starts before that no-decision, allowing four hits and seven walks with 13 strikeouts across 11 innings in wins over the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs.

Teng will face the Pirates for the first time in his career. He is 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 10 career interleague appearances (three starts).

Right-hander Jared Jones (0-0, 10.38 ERA) will make his second start of the season for the Pirates on Thursday.

Jones did not factor into the decision of a 6-5 walk-off win over the Minnesota Twins last Friday after allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts across 4 1/3 innings. That marked his first outing since Sept. 27, 2024, against the New York Yankees. Jones missed the entire 2025 season with a right elbow UCL sprain.

Jones will oppose the Astros for the first time. He is 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA in seven career interleague starts.

Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz stole his 20th base on Wednesday, becoming the fourth player in the majors to reach that total this season, joining Nasim Nunez (Washington Nationals), Jose Ramirez (Cleveland Guardians) and Bobby Witt Jr. (Kansas City Royals).

Pittsburgh is tied for second in the majors with Milwaukee with 62 stolen bases, trailing only Miami (71).

'The pressure we've been able to put on the opponent in stolen bases, too, has stood out to me as well,' Pirates manager Don Kelly said.

'Opportunistic. Just trying to find the right opportunity to be aggressive and try to make things happen within reason. We're just trying to find the right opportunity to be successful.'

--Field Level Media