The run-rampant Houston Astros take their show on the road Wednesday in the continuation of a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
The Astros grabbed the first two installments of this series at Minute Maid Park and recorded an 8-5 win Tuesday, as Luis Valbuena powered the hosts with two homers and four RBI. Valbuena hit a solo homer in the second inning, then belted a three-run shot in a five-run third inning.
Hank Conger homered among his two hits and knocked in a pair for the Astros, with Jose Altuve and Domingo Santana adding an RBI apiece. Altuve returned from a three-game absence because of a hamstring injury.
Vincent Velasquez made his second career start for Houston and struggled in 4 2/3 innings, charged with five runs and seven hits. He struck out seven and walked two batters.
"He just exposed his breaking ball a little bit and they made those adjustments," said Astros manager A.J. Hinch.
Will Harris threw 1 1/3 innings in relief of Velasquez for the win. Luke Gregerson posted his 17th save.
Prior to the contest, the Astros placed outfielder Colby Rasmus on the bereavement list and recalled Santana from Triple-A Fresno. Santana's RBI hit was his first in the majors, snapping an 0-for-18 string.
Brett Oberholtzer will take the mound Wednesday for the Astros, who have won three in a row and four of five games following a seven-game losing streak. Oberholtzer picked up his first win of the season in a 10-0 bashing of the Seattle Mariners and hurled eight shutout innings of three-hit ball.
The Astros are 3-1 when Oberholtzer pitches and the left-hander is 1-1 with a 2.25 earned run average. He will face the Rockies for the first time.
Houston will also visit Seattle and the L.A. Angels on this eight-game trip, and is still 2 1/2 games ahead of Texas for the AL West lead.
Colorado lost for the sixth time in seven tries and starting pitcher Chris Rusin did the club no favors in Tuesday's loss, permitting seven runs and nine hits over four innings. Rusin said location was the issue on Valbuena's blast in the third inning.
"I tried to go in but I left it middle, and he was able to inside-out it to left field to the short porch," Rusin said. "If I make my pitch there, he either grounds out or it jams him."
Carlos Gonzalez hit a two-run homer, while Charlie Blackmon, Michael McKenry and DJ LeMahieu had an RBI apiece for Colorado.
The Rockies will play eight in a row as the host versus Houston, Milwaukee and Arizona, and went 5-5 on the last homestand.
Kyle Kendrick will try to pitch himself and the Rockies to a win Wednesday and is just 2-8 with a 5.87 earned run average in 13 starts. Kendrick fell to 0-2 in his past three appearances and pitched well in Friday's 5-1 loss at Miami, reached for two runs in 6 2/3 innings.
Kendrick has allowed two runs in each of his past two starts and the Rockies are 3-10 when the right-hander toes the rubber. Kendrick is winless (0-3) in five home starts and 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in seven career meetings, five of which have been starts, with the Astros.
Colorado and Houston last squared off in 2013, when the Astros took three of four matchups at Minute Maid Park. Houston is 56-30 all-time versus Colorado at home, but 29-50 in Coors Field.
[SportsNetwork.com]
