Alvarez Powers Houston Astros Over D-Backs

It appears that all Yordan Alvarez needed to do was to get back to Minute Maid Park for some home cooking with the Houston Astros. Alvarez blasted two three-run homers on Friday night, leading the Astros past the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-0.

Framber Valdez threw seven innings of shutout ball as he helped the Astros snap their three-game losing streak.

Photo byJose MoralesonUnsplash

Kyle Tucker Returns for Houston Astros

The Houston Astros welcomed back outfielder Kyle Tucker to the starting lineup. Tucker, who has been out of action since early June with a shin contusion (later confirmed to be a fracture), was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat. The Minute Maid Park fans gave Tucker a standing ovation when he approached home plate. He was the Astros’ designated hitter on Friday night. Tucker also walked in his at-bats.

“He is overly excited,” Astros manager Joe Espada said prior to Friday night’s game, according to MLB.com reporter Brian McTaggart. “He’s happy to be back in the lineup. We all are happy to have him back in the lineup. The extra energy [he brings] to the club, the extra bat in there, everyone is excited to have him back.”

Jose Altuve had three hits and an RBI as the Astros are now 76-65 for the season. They are still in first place in the American League West Division. Mauricio Dubon also had three hits in the Astros’ offensive attack, The Associated Press reported.

Valdez (14-6) had Diamondbacks hitters guessing all night long. He had his usual curveball and slider cooking. When Valdez has his pitches working well, opposing hitters can look silly at the plate. Valdez only gave up two hits, three walks, and struck out seven Diamondbacks.

The Astros were up 1-0 in the fifth inning when Alvarez smoked a Brandon Pfaadt (9-8) pitch into the second deck in right field, giving Houston a 4-0 lead, MLB.com reported. Altuve’s RBI single in the sixth inning made it 5-0.

Then, Alvarez homered again in his next at-bat, this time to the bullpen in right-center field off Arizona reliever Jordan Montgomery, to extend it to 8-0.

For Alvarez, it’s his seventh career multi-homer game and ties him with Chris Carter (2014) for the most in a season in franchise history. Alvarez had not hit a home run at Minute Maid Park since June 22. And he’s coming off a series at Cincinnati where he just could not connect much at all.

Last Sunday, Yordan Alvarez became the second Houston Astros player in history to hit at least 30 homers in four consecutive seasons, joining Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell. Bagwell, who was subbing for broadcaster Steve Sparks in the Astros’ radio booth on Friday night, hit at least 30 homers in eight seasons in a row (1996-2003).

Alex Bregman Out Friday Night

Third baseman Alex Bregman didn’t play Friday night, still giving his elbow inflammation issues some time to heal. This looks like something Bregman will be dealing with for the rest of this season. Don’t expect him to spend time on the Injured List unless something catastrophic happens.

Jake Meyers returned from the paternity list, appearing as a pinch hitter and getting into the game in a defensive switch.

The weekend series continues on Saturday afternoon. The Astros send lefthander Yusei Kikuchi (7-9, 4.24 ERA) to the mound against Arizona lefthander Eduardo Rodriguez (2-1, 5.33).

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This article was written by Joe Rutland