Kyle Tucker homers as the Astros beat the Rockies 8-2 in Mexico City
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Kyle Tucker, Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña each hit a solo homer, helping Framber Valdez and the Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 8-2 on Sunday in Mexico City.
Tucker and Yainer Diaz each drove in two runs as Houston swept the two-game series at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium.
Valdez (1-0) pitched five innings of two-run ball in his first big league start since April 2. The left-hander allowed five hits, struck out six and walked none.
Valdez had been sidelined by elbow inflammation, one of several pitching injuries that had contributed to Houston’s 9-19 start. Justin Verlander is back, but the Astros are awaiting the return of Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. at some point this season.
Elias Díaz had two hits for Colorado, and Sean Bouchard and Jacob Stallings each drove in a run. Austin Gomber was charged with four runs and six hits in seven innings.
The Rockies have dropped 11 of 14 games.
Houston had lost five in a row before arriving in Mexico City, scoring a total of 10 runs during the slide. But it fared much better at Alfredo Harp Helu, with its elevation of 7,349 feet.
Yordan Alvarez hit two homers and Tucker also went deep during Saturday’s 12-4 victory.
Tucker connected in the first inning in the finale of the two-game set. Altuve went deep in the third, and Peña hit his third homer in the fourth.
It was Houston’s second regular-season visit to Mexico. It swept two games in Monterrey against the Angels in May 2019.
The Astros also played exhibition games in Mexico against the Padres in 2016 and Marlins in 2004.
The Rockies also had played in Mexico before. They beat San Diego in Monterrey in their 1999 season opener.
Colorado pushed across two runs in the second, tying it at 2. Bouchard singled home Elias Díaz, and Stallings had a sacrifice fly.
Altuve responded with his seventh homer on a drive to left.
Houston broke it open with four runs in the eighth. Alex Bregman hit an RBI single, and Yainer Diaz added a two-run double.
UP NEXT
Astros: RHP Hunter Brown (0-4, 9.68 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night against Cleveland. Carlos Carrasco (1-2, 4.63 ERA) pitches for the Guardians.
Rockies: RHP Ryan Feltner (1-2, 5.68 ERA) will start the series opener against the Marlins on Tuesday in Miami.
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