This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Yainer Diaz’s three-run homer to cap a four-run third inning helped the Houston Astros win their sixth straight game, topping the Tampa Bay Rays 6-1 on Monday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Alex Bregman popped a solo homer, while Yordan Alvarez went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Jeremy Pena (hit by pitch) and Jose Altuve (run) had two hits apiece as the Astros improved to 6-1 on their nine-game road trip.
In his 150th career appearance and first inside the Rays’ dome, Houston starter Framber Valdez (12-5) pitched 5 2/3 innings to extend his club lead in wins.
The left-hander yielded just one run on three hits. He walked one and used an overwhelming curveball to record most of his nine strikeouts.
Tampa Bay’s Taylor Walls went 2-for-3 with a triple, double and a run, but the Rays produced just four hits and lost for the fifth time in the past seven games.
For the third straight start, Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley (6-7) struggled with his command and took the loss. He allowed eight hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings, with two walks and six strikeouts.
The American League’s hottest club since June 19, Houston put its potent offense to work right away during the second round at-bats of the teams’ fourth matchup.
On a 2-1 splitter from Bradley, who was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for July, Bregman stroked his 18th home run to left field for a 1-0 lead.
A momentary lapse of control cost Bradley in the third, and the Astros burst open the dam with a four-spot.
After getting ahead 1-2 on leadoff batter Chas McCormick but eventually walking him, the right-hander could not get out of the inning and allowed a two-out RBI single to Alvarez.
On the first offering to Diaz, the catcher launched his 12th homer to left center — his fifth first-pitch long ball this season — and stretched the lead to 5-0.
Houston right fielder Pedro Leon lost and overran Walls’ fly down the right field line, losing it for a triple to open the third. Jose Caballero plated the shortstop with a sacrifice fly.
The Astros answered that while chasing Bradley in the fifth, getting an RBI fielder’s choice by Jake Meyers for a 6-1 advantage and cruised to even the season series at 2-2.
–Field Level Media
