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 It was the 26th multihomer game of the season for the Astros, and
they are a franchise-record 26-0 in such contests. The previous
record was a 22-game streak in 1994.
Lately, the Astros are trotting around the bases at the expense of
the Rockies. Houston hit three homers on both Monday and Tuesday
against Colorado at Minute Maid Park while winning 6-3 and 8-5.
"When we're on defense, we're excited to get in there and get
another at-bat," said left fielder Preston Tucker, who hit one of
Houston's four homers. "Everyone felt confident today. The past
couple days we've been swinging it well as well. We're going to go
at it tomorrow and try to do the same thing."
Shortstop Carlos Correa hit a two-run shot in the first inning
Wednesday, and Tucker hit a solo homer in the fifth off Rockies
starter Kyle Kendrick (2-9). The right-hander has allowed a major
league high 18 homers in 84 2/3 innings this season and leads the
majors in losses.
Kendrick left after throwing 101 pitches in five innings, 58 of
those pitches coming in the first and second. He gave up four runs
on seven hits and three walks while striking out one.
"The pitches got real elevated," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.
"He got over 100 (pitches) after five innings. He had to work hard
to get to the fifth."
Christian Friedrick relieved Kendrick and gave up a leadoff homer to
center fielder Jake Marisnick in the sixth and a run-scoring double
by Correa that boosted the Astros' lead to 6-2. Correa went 3-for-5,
giving him 14 hits in his first nine major league games, and he
drove in three runs.
First baseman Chris Carter hit a two-run shot off closer John Axford
in the ninth. In the bottom of that inning, right fielder Carlos
Gonzalez hit his ninth homer, a leadoff blast into the second deck
in right field off Chad Qualls.
The Astros, who also scored a run in the second on right fielder
George Springer's two-out single, have won four consecutive games
and five of the past six. They lead the majors with 95 homers.
The loss was the seventh in eight games for the Rockies. They began
an eight-game homestand, continuing their season-long quest for
traction at Coors Field, where they are 13-19.
Houston left-hander Brett Oberholtzer (2-1) gave up three runs on
eight hits in 6 1/3 innings with no walks and five strikeouts. He
won his second consecutive start.
"We were going hard away, soft away early," Oberholtzer said. "We
could tell they were starting to dive out over the plate. We wanted
to mix it up, so around the fourth, we started going in -- fastballs
in, cutters in and then we went soft away. So I think that mid-game
adjustment really paid off to get me a little deeper than if maybe I
was continuing to do the same things that worked for the first
three."
Weiss was ejected on a play that ended the third. After center
fielder Charlie Blackmon stole second base with two outs, Astros
manager A.J. Hinch appealed the play.
The call was overturned when a replay showed that Blackmon hopped
off the bag upon sliding and was tagged by Correa with his feet off
the base.
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However, second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who bats after Blackmon, had
stepped in the batter's box, and Oberholtzer was on the mound before
Hinch made his appeal. Weiss argued that the appeal came too late
and was ejected by crew chief Jerry Layne.
Hinch said, "I put my foot on the top step, which generally
indicates that the play's going to stop. I should've gone out a
little bit further to make sure there was no confusion. It's umpire
discretion."
Weiss said, "I thought the challenge came too late. The pitcher on
the rubber, batter in the box, it's too late to challenge the
previous play. That's the way we were told before the season
started."
Layne said a challenge can be initiated from the dugout step, a
modification from last season to help speed up the replay process.
"Basically Walt was not happy that (Hinch) was allowed to
challenge," Layne said. "But I don't think Walt understood when
(Hinch) actually initiated his challenge. You don't have to come out
on the field anymore."
NOTES: Astros RF George Springer extended his hitting streak to 10
games, one short of his career-high 11-game streak last season. ...
Astros 2B Jose Altuve did not take the field in the bottom of the
third due to right hamstring discomfort. That injury caused him to
miss three games before he returned to action Tuesday. Hinch said
Altuve was not scheduled to play Thursday. ... Rockies LF Corey
Dickerson (plantar fasciitis in left foot) was placed on the 15-day
disabled list just six days after being activated. He previously
missed 23 games with the same injury. ... Rockies RHP Justin Miller
had his contract selected from Triple-A Albuquerque and pitched a
scoreless eighth. To make room on the 40-man roster for Miller, RHP
Jordan Lyles (left big toe surgery) was transferred to the 60-day
DL. ... The Rockies signed SS Brandon Rodgers, the third overall
pick in last week's draft, for a franchise-record $5.5 million. ...
Astros DH and cleanup hitter Evan Gattis was not in the lineup as
manager A.J. Hinch elected to keep his outfield intact in spacious
Coors Field. Hinch said Gattis likely won't start Thursday. ...
Rockies LHP Ken Roberts (left elbow inflammation) began a rehab
assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Albuquerque and threw one scoreless
inning.
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