Astros rally past Royals 8-7 after Altuve ties it and a ninth-inning miscue

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jose Altuve hit a tying home run in the eighth inning, Joey Loperfido scored the go-ahead run when the Royals botched a potential inning-ending double play in the ninth, and the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 8-7 on Saturday night.

The Astros hit four homers in a game delayed for 91 minutes in the eighth due to tornado warnings. Houston has hit multiple homers in three straight games, 10 in all.

Christian Walker hit his 18th home run in the fourth — a two-run shot — and Brice Matthews hit his sixth in the fifth inning to tie the game at 4-all.

Jake Meyers’ sixth-inning solo shot gave the Astros their first lead, 5-4, before Altuve homered to tie it at 7-all moments before the weather delay.

Houston starter Mike Burrows allowed five runs — four earned — in five-plus innings, and has surrendered 10 home runs in his last six starts and 18 on the season, most in the American League.

Bryan King (1-1) struck out one in a hitless eighth and Bryan Abreu pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

The Royals took the lead in the second inning when Jac Caglianone walked and went first-to-third on a grounder before scoring on Michael Massey’s single.

Vinnie Pasquantino delivered an RBI single and Carter Jensen scored on Christian Vázquez’s passed ball for a 3-0 lead in the third.

Lane Thomas added a fourth-inning solo shot into the left-field fountains to make it 4-2.

Jensen doubled twice, including a two-strike, bases-clearing liner to left-center which gave Kansas City a 7-5 lead in the sixth.

Pasquantino left the game in the fifth with a right hand hamate injury after a pop up.

Alex Lange (0-4) allowed a hit and a walk in 1 2/3 innings in the Royals’ fourth straight loss.

Up Next

Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-1, 2.21 ERA) opposes Royals RHP Stephen Kolek (3-1, 3.14) in Sunday’s series finale.

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