PHOENIX (AP) _ In this awful season, Houston enjoyed a rare night when the team with baseball's worst record resembled those Astros who won the last three NL Central Division titles.

Moises Alou had a four-hit game for the 14th time in his career and Scott Elarton pitched eight strong innings Tuesday night as the Astros snapped a four-game losing streak with a 12-4 rout of struggling Omar Daal and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

``Just any win right now is good,'' Houston manager Larry Dierker said, ``but to break out offensively gives us maybe a look at what we are capable of doing.''

Alou, in his third four-hit game of the season, drove in four runs in Houston's biggest offensive outburst in 45 games. Mitch Meluskey was 3-for-5 with a career-high four RBIs before being ejected in the ninth for arguing balls and strikes. Jeff Bagwell was 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

Elarton (6-3) gave up five hits, struck out three and walked one in his second straight impressive victory.

``He threw a high change-up to the pitcher,'' Dierker said. ``Other than that, it was a masterpiece.''

Elarton, who underwent rotator cuff surgery in the offseason, allowed one run on four hits in eight innings in the Astros' 6-3 win over Los Angeles last Thursday. But he said he felt even better this time.

``It was probably the best game since my surgery,'' Elarton said. ``I felt like I had a little better command than even my last start.''

The Diamondbacks committed a franchise record five errors. Arizona's only run off Elarton came on Daal's first major league homer into Houston's bullpen in the third inning.

It was little consolation for the Diamondbacks' left-hander, who has not won since May 25. Daal (2-8) allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits in 4 1-3 innings. He struck out three, walked five, two intentionally, and hit two batters. He also committed a throwing error that led to an unearned run.

``I don't know how to explain it,'' Daal said. ``I know I've been pitching bad but I'm feeling good. I'm a little frustrated but I've got to keep my head up and next time do a better job.''

In his last four outings, Daal has allowed 22 runs in 12 2-3 innings.

``It's just his command,'' Arizona manager Buck Showalter said. ``If you're looking for reasons, we are too.''

The game was tied 1-1 after four, then the Astros broke it open with four runs in the fifth and four in the sixth.

With one out in the fifth, Daal walked Julio Lugo, then hit Craig Biggio. Bagwell doubled to drive in Lugo, and Richard Hidalgo was hit by a pitch on his sore right knee to load the bases.

Alou's single drove in two runs, and he advanced to second when Steve Finley bobbled the ball in center field. Daal intentionally walked Lance Berkman to load the bases again, then gave up an RBI single to Meluskey to make it 4-1. Russ Springer relieved Daal, struck out Chris Truby and got Elarton on a sharp grounder to first to end the inning.

But Springer allowed four runs on three hits in the sixth. Meluskey doubled in two runs off Matt Mantei in the eighth, then scored on the play thanks to errors by left fielder Danny Bautista and Mantei.

Kelly Stinnett had a three-run double for Arizona in the ninth.

``We walked seven guys, two intentionally, hit a couple of guys with pitches and obviously didn't handle the ball very well,'' Showalter said. ``You're not going to win many games doing that.''

Notes: Alex Cabrera, who hit a pinch-hit home run in his first major league at-bat Monday night, started at first for Arizona Tuesday and tripled his first time up. ... Astros reliever Billy Wagner underwent successful surgery in Los Angeles to repair a partially torn flexor tendon in his left elbow. He is out for the season. ... Hidalgo was back in Houston's lineup after missing seven games with a sprained right knee. ... Finley, a Gold Glove winner last year, committed only his second error of the season. ... Arizona fouled out six times.