Former ValleyCats’ Altuve and Peña homer in Astros’ 11-5 win over scuffling Diamondbacks

Houston Astros Jose Altuve watches his solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Astros Jose Altuve rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Astros Jeremy Pena celebrates his three-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Astros starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi questions a call during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Astros Jose Altuve, right, and Jeremy Pena celebrate the teams win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Astros Jake Meyers (6) slides past Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Jose Herrera to score on Chas McCormicks 2-run single during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Astros Ben Gamel slides to score on Yordan Alvarezs RBI single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Astros starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Arizona Diamondbacks Kevin Newman hits an RBI single against the Houston Astros during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez throws against the Houston Astros during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Astros Jose Altuve watches his solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept.

7, 2024, in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) By ADAM SPOLANE HOUSTON (AP) Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena homered as the Houston Astros improved to 7-0 in games started by Yusei Kikuchi by beating the scuffling Arizona Diamondbacks 11-5 on Saturday.

Altuve had three hits and scored three times.

Penas 15th homer was a three-run shot, capping a five-run sixth inning that started with the Astros clinging to a one-run lead.

Houston entered with a 4 1/2-game lead in the AL West over Seattle.

Arizona, which has dropped three straight and seven of 10, began the day leading the Braves and Mets by 1 1/2 games for the second National League wild card.

Kikuchi (8-9) allowed four runs and seven hits over six innings.

He struck out six, giving him a career-high 183 strikeouts this season.

The left-hander has a 3.07 ERA since joining the Astros in a trade from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 29, with a 32.1% strikeout rate.

Kevin Newman homered off Kikuchi in the fourth to put Arizona up 3-1, but Houston rallied for four runs against Eduardo Rodriguez in the bottom half.

Rodriguez (2-2) faced 10 batters and needed 47 pitches to get through the inning.

Houston loaded the bases without a hit, and Chas McCormick tied the game with a two-run single.

Yordan Alvarezs two-out RBI single put the Astros on top and, after an error, Alex Bregman capped the flurry with a bases-loaded walk.

Alvarez finished with three hits and is batting .410 with 13 RBIs over his last 10 games.

Eugenio Suarez hit his 25th homer in the sixth to bring Arizona within a run, but the Astros broke open the game with the help of Penas three-run drive into the Astros bullpen in right-center field.

Dylan Floro was charged with all five Houston runs in the sixth.

Rodriguez gave up five runs, four earned, and seven hits over four innings with one strikeout.

TRAINERS ROOM Diamondbacks: C Jose Herrera returned to the lineup after he was removed from Fridays game when he was hit on the back of the helmet by Kyle Tuckers follow-through on a strikeout.

Astros: After returning from a 79-game absence Friday due to a fractured right shin, RF Kyle Tucker did not start but was available off the bench.

...

INF Mauricio Dubon is dealing with a sore left thumb, which forced him out of Fridays game after he jammed it diving into first base.

UP NEXT Houston RHP Justin Verlander (3-5, 4.52 ERA) opposes RHP Ryne Nelson (10-6, 4.15) when the series concludes Sunday night.

___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb.

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