HOUSTON – With Houston’s powerful offense, there always seem to be men on base when Yuli Gurriel comes to the plate in the bottom part of the Astros order.
On Wednesday, he found a way to send most of them home.
Gurriel drove in a team record-tying eight runs, Gerrit Cole won his 10th straight decision and the Astros routed the Colorado Rockies 14-3 for their sixth victory in a row.
“It’s really incredible with this team, and I feel a big responsibility to drive runners in when they are on base,” Gurriel said in Spanish through a translator. “To be in that spot, I’m always focused and concentrating to get those runners in.”
A day after homering twice with three RBIs, Gurriel again teed off for the AL West leaders. He hit a three-run homer in the first inning, a sacrifice fly in the third, a three-run double in the fourth and an RBI grounder in the sixth to give him the most RBIs since he knocked in eight twice while playing in Cuba.
Gurriel tied Houston’s RBI record set by J.R. Towles in 2007 against St. Louis. Gurriel, who leads the Astros with 80 RBIs, surpassed the seven RBIs he had last season against the Angels and tied the major league record for most RBIs by a player born in Cuba. It’s his 11th game this season with at least three RBIs, and he joins Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell as the only Astros to have two games with at least seven runs knocked in.
Cole (14-5) struck out 10 in six innings. Undefeated in his last 14 starts, he allowed three hits and two runs to make Houston’s starters 16-1 in their last 19 starts.
The Astros jumped on Colorado starter Peter Lambert (2-3) for seven hits and a career-high nine runs in three-plus innings. Jose Altuve homered on Lambert’s first pitch of the game.
Mariners 3, Padres 2
In Seattle, Mallex Smith doubled leading off the eighth and scored when Daniel Vogelbach beat out a potential inning-ending double play, and the Mariners snapped a five-game losing streak.
Seattle starter Yusei Kikuchi tossed five innings in a no-decision, allowing four hits and a run. He issued three walks and struck out eight.
Mets 7, Marlins 2
In New York, Michael Conforto homered twice, Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil hit two-run shots and the Mets completed a four-game sweep of Miami.
New York won for the 13th time in 14 games.
Yankees 14, Orioles 2
In Baltimore, Gio Urshela and Kyle Higashioka each hit two home runs, and New York’s long-ball outburst against the Orioles reached historical proportions in a blowout that extended the Yankees’ winning streak to eight games.
New York has 11 players with multihomer games against Baltimore this season, breaking the record of 10 set by San Francisco against the Dodgers in 1958.
Cameron Maybin also went deep for the Yankees, who tied a major league record with 16 home runs in a three-game series. Diamondbacks 6, Phillies 1
In Phoenix, Zac Gallen threw five scoreless innings and helped himself with a run-scoring sacrifice bunt in his Arizona debut and win over Philadelphia.
Diamondbacks reliever Yoshihisa Hirano tossed one scoreless inning.
In Other Games
Braves 11, Twins 7
White Sox 8, Tigers 1
Blue Jays 4, Rays 3
Brewers 8, Pirates 3
Indians 2, Rangers 0 (1st)
Indians 5, Rangers 1 (2nd)
Nationals 4, Giants 1
Cubs 10, Athletics 1
Dodgers 2, Cardinals 1
Royals 4, Red Sox 4 (10, susp.)
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Source : Baseball – The Japan Times