Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Houston Astros Launch Four Homers, Get to Greinke in Return to Houston
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Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Zack Greinke made his return to Houston on Tuesday, facing his former club for the first time since he signed with American League Central foe this past offseason. The Houston Astros responded with a warm welcome, jumping the right-hander with six runs on 10 hits and two walks.
Two of those 10 knocks were home runs. Rookie Jeremy Peña started the fifth inning with a solo shot to left-center field, and the left side of the infield stayed hot with Alex Bregman sending a two-run home run into the Crawford Boxes, two batters later.
Greinke was given the hook after five, but the Astros didn't stop the run parade there. Aledmys Diaz joined the launch party, plating his fourth homer of the season with a seventh-inning, two-run shot off Jackson Kowar.
Half an inning after throwing out Hunter Dozier from left field on a sac fly, Yordan Álvarez belted his 25th long ball of the season with two outs and no one on in the bottom of the eighth.
Álvarez is now the second Astro in franchise history to hit 25 or more home runs in three of his first four seasons, joining Hunter Pence who accomplished the feat from 2008-2010, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis García
Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
On the hill, Luis García was tagged early with four earned runs over his first three innings. The righty stretched his early troubles into the seventh inning on 88 pitches.
García punched out seven batters in his outing but was pulled after surrendering a run on a one-out single off the bat of Nicky Lopez, scoring Kyle Isbel from third. Isbel reached on what was originally scored an error by right fielder Kyle Tucker, before it was changed to a triple by the end of the inning.
Relieving García, Héctor Neris allowed one extra base runner in his 2/3 innings pitched, halting any further damage by the Kansas City bats.
Reliever Bryan Abreu found some trouble in the eighth as Jeremy Peña and Jose Altuve's 6-4-3 turn was ruled safe for both runners after review. A four-pitch walk to catcher MJ Melendez followed, before Abreu recorded his first out.
Walking Michael A. Taylor to put the go-ahead run at first base, manager Dusty Baker saw enough from his right-hander, turning the ball over to Phil Maton. Inducing a fly out to left field, Álvarez threw a strike to get Dozier at home to end the inning.
Improving to 53-27, the Astros plated nine runs to the Royals' seven Tuesday, piecing together their second comeback win of the series. Houston returns to the diamond at 7:10 p.m. Wednesday at Minute Maid Park.
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