Aaron Harang turned in his strongest outing of the season and Ryan Hanigan drove in three runs to lead the Cincinnati Reds past the Houston Astros, 6-2, on Tuesday.

Orlando Cabrera and Jay Bruce scored two runs apiece for the Reds, who entered the game having dropped two of three.

Harang (1-3) earn just the second win of the season for a Cincinnati starter by scattering eight hits and two runs over six innings. The veteran right-hander struck out six and walked one.

Harang came into Tuesday's contest having allowed 14 earned runs and 20 hits over his last 9 2/3 innings.

The Astros jumped on top with a run in the first, but Hanigan put the Reds ahead to stay with a two-run single in the second. Cincinnati added three more runs on RBIs by Jonny Gomes, Hanigan and Drew Stubbs in the sixth to put the game away.

Astros starter Bud Norris (1-2) allowed five runs on six hits in five innings to take the loss.

Michael Bourn, Carlos Lee and Geoff Blum each had two hits for Houston, which had its three-game winning streak snapped.