Kyle Tucker, Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena each hit solo home runs as the Houston Astros completed a two-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies with an 8-2 win on Sunday in the Mexico City Series.
Yainer Diaz added a two-run double for Houston, which had scored a total of 22 runs over its prior nine games before scoring 20 during the high-altitude international series. The Astros opened with a 12-4 win on Saturday.
Framber Valdez (1-0) returned from the injured list and tossed five strong innings in his first start since April 2. Valdez allowed two runs on five hits with zero walks and six strikeouts.
Rafael Montero, Bryan Abreu, Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader combined for four scoreless innings in relief to help Houston record its first series sweep of the season.
Elias Diaz had two hits for Colorado, which has trailed in each of their first 28 games.
Houston claimed a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Altuve scored on Yordan Alvarez’s sacrifice fly and Tucker followed with a solo homer to right-center field. Tucker’s homer was his second in as many days and seventh this season.
Colorado pulled even with one out in the second inning when Sean Bouchard singled in a run and Nolan Jones scored on Jacob Stallings’ sacrifice fly.
Altuve put the Astros ahead 3-2 with a one-out homer to left field. The 438-foot homer was Altuve’s seventh this season.
Pena delivered a leadoff homer in the fourth inning against Austin Gomber for first home run since April 3.
Gomber (0-2) remained winless in six starts after allowing six hits and four runs in seven innings. He struck out two with zero walks.
Houston drew clear with four runs in the eighth inning. After Rockies reliever Jake Bird began the inning by hitting Victor Caratini with a pitch, Altuve walked and Bregman singled in a run.
Altuve scored on Tucker’s one-out groundout and Pena walked before Bird was replaced by Nick Mears, who allowed Diaz’s two-run double to left field.
–Field Level Media
