Houston defeated Colorado in game one of the Mexico Series at the Alfredo Harp, thanks to home runs from Yordan Álvarez and Kyle Tucker.
Mexican fans cheered as Yordan Álvarez led the Houston Astros to a 12-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies in the first game of the 2024 MLB Mexico City Series. The major leagues. The Cuban power hitter hit two home runs at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium, scoring three runs for his club.
With this victory, the Astros snapped a five-game losing streak against the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals. Ronel Blanco earned his third win of the season, while Cal Quantrill took the defeat.
Home run and drought for the Rockies
The first two runs of the game in Mexico City could only come from home runs, and Colorado took the lead in the first inning. After Ezequiel Tovar’s single, Ryan McMahon was in charge of getting the Fire Diamond ball to centerfield. Ronel Blanco’s fastball was hit 459 feet by the Rockies’ third baseman.
Espalda con espalda y los Astros toman la delantera.#MexicoCitySeries.#YoAmoElBeis pic.twitter.com/8vbt23ltPy
— MLB México (@MLB_Mexico) April 27, 2024
Trey Cabbage did not play a single game for the Astros in 2024, but he was responsible for Houston’s first run in the MLB Mexico City Series. The utility player smashed a double to deep left field, bringing Yainer Díaz home.
The home run Astros
In the third inning, Yordan Álvarez and Kyle Tucker hit back-to-back home runs, bringing the Astros back to 4-2. Álvarez hit a home shot to right center field, scoring Chas McCormick from first. Tucker sliced it out to left field in his second at-bat, capping an eight-pitch outing.
Quantrill leaves the house full and barely receives two runs.
In the sixth inning, Rockies pitcher Cal Quantrill gave up a single by Kyle Tucker, a walk by Jeremy Peña, and a ground ball by Yainer Díaz. Jalen Beeks took over and faced Mauricio Dubón, who scored with a grounder that Brendan Rodgers couldn’t handle.
Despite a double play that took Dubón and José Abreu off the board, the Astros added one more run. Abreu singled into a 4-3 double play, scoring Peña.
Ronel Blanco’s start ended in the sixth inning, with 102 pitches and eight strikeouts. Houston’s starter left runners on the corners before being substituted by Seth Martínez. After walking the first hitter he faced to load the bases, he regained control and struck out Ezequiel Tovar in the sixth inning.
Bryan Abreu relieved Martínez in the eighth inning and struck out three batters, including Brenton Doyle, Elias Díaz, and Charlie Blackmon. The sole blemish on his pitching performance was a walk given to Ryan McMahon.
In the eighth inning, Houston scored two more runs on Díaz’s triple and Abreu’s single. Diaz scored Peña with a lined shot to right field, while Abreu scored with a single to split the field.
Tayler Scott entered the mound in the eighth inning and got out of it without giving up a run. The right-hander left two runners on base after striking out Hunter Goodman and Ezequiel Tovar with a combination of sinkers and sliders.
Yordan Álvarez hits another home run, kicking off a hitting rally.
Álvarez blasted his second home run of the day in the ninth inning. The Cuban crushed Tyler Kinley’s fastball for his sixth home run and 17th RBI of the season. This time, the ball covered 461 feet. Houston scored 11 runs on the night, owing to an RBI double from Dubón and an additional single from Abreu. Brendan Rogers made an unlucky fielding error, allowing the Astros to score their eleventh run.
Joe Espada, the Astros’ manager, chose Brandon Bielak to finish the game, but the Rockies broke their drought with RBI hits from Blackmon and Elehuris Montero, making the score less unsightly. The game ended when Nolan Jones hit a grounder to shortstop, which was caught by Jeremy Peña at 6-3.
The Astros and Rockies will play the second game of the series on April 28, with the first pitch planned for 2:07 p.m., central Mexico time (4:07 p.m. ET, 1:07 p.m. PT). The Astros’ planned starters are Framber Valdez and the Rockies’ Austin Gomber.
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