A night after he was out of the starting lineup for the first time all season Youth Taron Johnson Jersey , the 2017 American League MVP homered twice, including the last of three straight by the Astros in the sixth inning, to lift Houston to a 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.
Altuve, who pinch-hit in the ninth inning on Tuesday night, said getting a little break gave him a chance to regroup.
”It felt good. It’s always good to sit down and think about how you feel,” he said. ”And I came back strong today.”
The game was tied in the bottom of the sixth when George Springer’s 15th homer this season made it 2-1. Two pitches later Alex Bregman sent an 87 mph slider from Rays’ starter Nathan Eovaldi (1-3) into the seats in left field for his 11th home run.
But the Astros weren’t done yet, as Altuve put one on the train tracks atop left field for the second time on Wednesday night to push the lead to 4-1. It was the first time the Astros had hit three home runs in a row since May 2, 2008 when Miguel Tejada, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee did it against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Altuve got a little amped up after seeing the balls by Springer and Bregman leave the yard, and once he got in a hitter’s count he was looking for a ball to drive.
”There was a lot going on in that inning and I got a little excited,” he said.
It was a welcome display of power for a team which managed just five singles in a 2-1 loss to the Rays on Tuesday night that snapped Houston’s 12-game winning streak. Wednesday night’s win made the Astros the first team to reach 50 victories this season.
”It was a pretty electrifying crowd after three home runs one after another after another,” manager A.J. Hinch said. ”Obviously, it was a huge inning for us. What energy that got put back into the building and also our team. Pretty impressive.”
Houston starter Charlie Morton (9-1) allowed just two hits and one unearned run in six innings for the win.
Eovaldi, who grew up in suburban Houston Youth Jeremy Kerley Jersey , entered the game 1-0 with a 2.52 ERA in four career starts against the Astros. But he allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings for his third straight loss.
”It’s just a matter of time before that offense gets you,” manager Kevin Cash said. ”He was efficient, they made some adjustments, but it was a lot of power and by that third time through, it kind of caught up. It’s just a very talented offense.”
Jake Bauers doubled with two outs in the first inning before Morton walked Wilson Ramos and plunked Joey Wendle to load the bases. But he escaped the jam when left fielder Tony Kemp made a diving catch on a ball hit by Willy Adames to end the inning.
”That’s probably the highlight of the game defensively for us just because a lot of things can happen there,” Hinch said. ”We’re playing a little bit deep, it looked like he got a little bit of a late start and then comes in with an acrobatic catch.”
Mallex Smith singled with one out in the fourth and scored when Carlos Gomez grounded out and first baseman Yuli Gurriel badly overthrew first base for an error to make it 1-0.
Altuve tied it up with his first home run of the night with one out in the fourth. It was the first multi-homer game in the regular season since July 24, 2016 for Altuve, who hit a career-best three in Game 1 of the ALDS against Boston last season.
The Astros added a run on an RBI single by Kemp with one out in the seventh.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: Hinch said RHP Joe Smith (right elbow inflammation) was feeling a lot better on Wednesday and is likely to throw off the mound either this weekend or early next week.
Rays: Manager Kevin Cash said INF Daniel Robertson (left hamstring strain) is doing well and should come off the disabled list on Friday.
KIERMAIER’S STRUGGLES
Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kiermaier went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts after going 0 for 5 on Wednesday night in his first game back after missing more than two months following thumb surgery. His slump is a continuation of the struggles he had before the injury and he’s hitting just .135 in 14 games this season.
”Unfortunately, K.K. just got off to a rough start and takes a month or two months off,” Cash said. ”The numbers are going to be ugly for a little while, but I’m very confident he’ll get going.”
UP NEXT
Rays: Tampa Bay is off on Thursday before beginning a three-game series with the New York Yankees on Friday. They have yet to announce their pitching rotation for that series.
Astros: Houston also has a day off on Thursday before hosting Kansas City in the opener of a three-game series on Friday. Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (4-8, 4.15 ERA), who got his first win since May 13 in his last start Youth Trent Murphy Jersey , will oppose Royals‘ lefty Danny Duffy.
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A fist pump and a late fastball on the cusp of 100 mph was all the indication needed to know just how good German Marquez felt Saturday.
He pitched two-hit ball over eight innings and Ian Desmond homered as the Colorado Rockies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1.
Marquez (6-8) retired his first 15 batters before Enrique Hernandez connected for a home run off the left-field foul pole leading off the sixth. After a Chase Utley single, Marquez dispatched the Dodgers on three fly balls to end the inning and pumped his right fist to emphasize the moment.
”Isn’t that great? I loved that” Rockies manager Bud Black said of the fist pump. ”He uses (his energy) with his fastball. I want him to use it with his fastball but not overthrow. There is a time you can stand on a pitch and lean on it and I think he does that.”
He appeared to do just that with his fastball in the eighth inning. Facing Hernandez two innings after the home run, Marquez struck out the Dodgers’ utility man on a 99.9 mph fastball.
”No doubt I let it rip on that one,” Marquez said through an interpreter. ”But I worked hard in my preparation in between starts and my goal is to maintain my stamina deep into games. I think today I was able to accomplish that.”
Marquez struck out nine and walked none after entering with a 5.53 ERA, third-worst among qualified National League starters.
The Rockies closed out June with three consecutive victories and two consecutive over the Dodgers after getting swept by Los Angeles in a three-game series at Coors Field to begin the month. Colorado finished June with an 11-16 record.
Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda (5-5) gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits over seven innings and lost for the first time in four June starts. He had a short stint on the disabled list during the month due to a right hip strain. He struck out nine for the second consecutive start.
”It was a good outing,” Maeda said through an interpreter. ”My desire is to be able to pitch deeper into the game and being able to pitch seven innings and is a good thing. But unfortunately, we didn’t get the win and that was something we wanted.”
The Rockies took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when DJ LeMahieu scored from third base on a passed ball by catcher Yasmani Grandal. Nolan Arenado struck out, but advanced to first with LeMahieu scoring when the ball got through Grandal.
Desmond went deep in the fifth for a 2-0 lead. It was his 17th home run of the season and career-best 13th on the road.
Trevor Story doubled for the Rockies in the seventh and scored on Chris Iannetta’s single to make it 3-1.
After a strong start to the month, the Dodgers finished June with a 17-9 record, losing four of their last five games.
CLOSER FOR THE DAY
Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino pitched the ninth Saturday for his second save. Closer Wade Davis, who earned the save after Tyler Anderson’s eight-inning outing Friday, was given the night off.
”He pitched great and he deserved to win Youth Kentavius Street Jersey ,” Ottavino said of Marquez. ”That’s two games straight that we got eight innings out of our starters so we appreciate that down in the bullpen. I think everybody does on the team so I think that was just an awesome job by (Marquez).”
Davis is expected to return to the closer role Sunday.
DODGERS DRIVE 55
Hernandez’s home run gave the Dodgers 55 in the month of June, to increase their franchise record for a month. The previous record of 53 was set in June of last season.
His home run was his 14th of the season and third this week. Max Muncy and Joc Pederson each finished with 10 home runs in June. Pederson has 11 on the season.
”I worked really hard in the off season to get stronger and get in better shape,” said Hernandez, whose previous best was 11 home runs last season. ”Last year I hit a lot of doubles and this year those doubles are turning into homers. Hopefully we can keep swinging the bats in July the way we are in June.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: OF David Dahl (broken right foot) is out of a walking boot and will join the team Monday in Colorado to continue his rehab.
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (right rib microfracture), who made one appearance this week after returning from the DL, will likely need two starts at Class A Rancho Cucamonga before he returns to the Dodgers, according to manager Dave Roberts. … RHP Pedro Baez (right biceps tendinitis) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session, but no timetable for his return has been revealed.
UP NEXT
Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis (5-1, 5.07 ERA) will be back on the road where he excels, as his five road victories were tied for third in the National League at the start of play Saturday. Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling (6-2, 1.98) has a loss and a no-decision in his past two starts following a six-start win streak.
