PITTSBURGH (AP) _ This was how it was supposed to go for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2000: Brian Giles leading the offense and Kris Benson leading the pitching staff.

Both things finally happened Tuesday night as Giles hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Benson won for just the second time in 13 starts, leading the Pirates over the Houston Astros, 9-4.

The win was just Pittsburgh's second in 11 games this season over Houston.

Giles' homer provided an early lead and Benson was perfect through the first three innings.

``The home run settled Kris down and he was able to put up some zeros,'' Giles said. ``He relaxed, our offense relaxed and we were better off.''

Those kinds of games have been too few for the Pirates this season, which explains why they're finishing out their eighth straight losing season with a lame-duck manager.

Gene Lamont has already been told by owner Kevin McClatchy that he won't return in 2001 so Lamont's four-year tenure with the Pirates will end on Sunday in the final baseball game at Three Rivers Stadium against the Chicago Cubs.

When it was suggested that Benson (10-12) and Giles are the two players the Pirates need to build around, Lamont smiled and answered, ``I'm probably the wrong guy to ask about that.''

Benson will start the season finale and is looking to end the year on a high note after a disappointing second half.

But even if he didn't, Lamont doesn't think it would make much difference.

``Kris has good enough stuff and enough confidence to know he's going to be a good pitcher,'' Lamont said. ``Regardless of what he would do in these last few starts he would go into spring training thinking he was going to win a lot of games.''

While Lamont knows he'll be out of a job, the fate of Astros manager Larry Dierker has yet to be decided.

Dierker's frustration was apparent when someone mentioned that it was uncharacteristic of starter Chris Holt (7-16) to struggle with his control the way he did on Tuesday.

``I guess it is, I don't know,'' Dierker said. ``It's characteristic of him to give up runs one way or another.''

Dierker was unhappy with both his defense and relief pitching.

The Astros were trailing 4-2 in the seventh when Jeff Bagwell failed to handle a throw on a ball that would have retired the slow-moving Giles.

Shortstop Tim Bogar and second baseman Julio Lugo both stopped and watched a ball bounce up the middle, each thinking the other would field it.

The Pirates wound up scoring five runs in the inning.

``If we make the plays, it's 1-2-3,'' Dierker said. ``It's been the same story all year long.''

Notes: Astros outfielder Richard Hidalgo stretched his hitting streak to nine games. He had a 15-game streak end earlier this month. ... Holt matched his career high with five walks. ... The Pirates had won only four of their previous 19 home games. ... Since the All-Star break, Benson's only other victory was Aug. 29, when he held the Giants to one hit in eight innings and won 8-0. His record since the break is 2-6. ... Pirates shortstop Pat Meares established a career best with his 13th home run.