HOUSTON (Interstat) — Nick Fortes and Junior Caminero each hit solo home runs, and Nick Martinez turned in a solid start as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Houston Astros 3-1 on Friday night at Daikin Park.

The Rays improved to 52-33, extending their winning streak to seven games, while the Astros fell to 43-47. The game drew an announced crowd of 36,039 and lasted 2 hours, 21 minutes.

Tampa Bay broke a scoreless deadlock in the sixth inning when Fortes led off with a home run to left-center field off Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti, his second of the season. Houston answered immediately in the bottom half when Yordan Alvarez launched his 27th home run of the year to right-center field off Rays starter Nick Martinez, tying the game at 1.

The Rays regained the lead in the seventh. With one out, Caminero crushed a solo shot to left field off reliever Steven Okert, his 25th home run of the season, making it 2-1.

Tampa Bay added an insurance run in the eighth. After Ben Williamson singled and was forced out at second on a Taylor Walls grounder, Fortes doubled to center field, scoring Walls from first base to extend the lead to 3-1.

Martinez pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking one. He did not factor into the decision but turned in his third consecutive quality start. Over his previous two outings, Martinez had earned wins against Arizona and Washington, allowing four earned runs over 11 2/3 innings.

Kevin Kelly earned the win, improving to 5-3, after tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out one. Bryan Baker worked a perfect ninth inning, striking out one, to record his 23rd save of the season. Casey Legumina contributed a scoreless eighth inning.

Arrighetti took a no-decision after six strong innings for Houston. He allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out four and walking none. Okert suffered the loss, falling to 1-1, after giving up one hit and one earned run in one inning of relief. Enyel De Los Santos pitched two innings of relief, allowing two hits and one earned run with two strikeouts.

The Rays’ offense managed only five hits in the game, but they made them count. Fortes went 2 for 3 with the home run and a double, driving in two runs. Caminero was 1 for 4 with his homer.

Houston mustered just three hits. Alvarez’s solo shot was the only extra-base hit for the Astros, who had won two of their previous three games entering Friday.

Defensive plays kept the game close early. In the first inning, Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz led off with a sharp single to center, but Jonathan Aranda grounded into a double play to erase the threat. The Rays also turned a double play in the fourth when center fielder Cedric Mullins threw out Cam Smith trying to advance to second on a fly ball.

Houston had a scoring chance in the fourth when Christian Walker walked and Smith singled, but Taylor Trammell flied into the double play to end the inning. The Astros also put a runner on second in the third after a Caminero error, but Jose Altuve was called out on strikes after a successful challenge on a pitch result, and Alvarez struck out swinging.

The Rays’ bullpen was sharp after Martinez departed. Kelly retired all five batters he faced, and Legumina worked a clean eighth. Baker closed the door in the ninth, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts.

The loss snapped a brief streak for Houston, which had won five of its previous seven games. The Astros continue to struggle at home, dropping to 22-26 at Daikin Park this season.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, has been on a roll. The Rays have won seven straight after sweeping a three-game series at Kansas City earlier this week. They entered Friday having won 10 of their last 12 contests.

The series continues Saturday at the same venue. Tampa Bay will send a starter to be announced against Houston’s scheduled pitcher. After the three-game set, the Rays return home for a six-game homestand against the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, while the Astros embark on a three-game road trip to Washington followed by a series at Texas.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tampa Bay Rays 8, Houston Astros 5. Interstat’s ELO system gave Tampa Bay a 50.70 percent probability to win. Houston was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 4 went under the over/under line of 8.