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NEW YORK -- For the Houston Astros, their postgame routine after a win is to celebrate with a fog machine and lasers in the clubhouse. While the Astros have had plenty of wins to commemorate at home, fog and lasers have been a rarity on the road.
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The Astros had plenty to enjoy Wednesday afternoon when designated hitter Evan Gattis homered twice and right-hander Collin McHugh pitched 6 1/3 innings in a 6-2 victory over the New York Yankees.
The win marked Houston's first road series victory in at least a three-game series since sweeping San Diego on April 27-29. It ended a span of 11 winless road series for the Astros, whose only road series victory since was a two-game sweep in Colorado in mid-June.
"We haven't won one on the road in a while," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said after his team improved to 5-16 in the last 21 road games. "So it obviously feels good. I loved the way we swung the bats today. I thought we pitched pretty well. I think it shows when we put things together we can win anywhere."
Houston (71-57) also surpassed its win total from last season. With a little over a month remaining, it is on pace for 90 victories.
"It's a good feeling," Gattis said. "I'm glad to be a part of it."
The Astros held the Yankees to four runs in 27 innings while putting together four innings of at least four runs. They also hit five home runs in the series with Gattis getting three of them.
"We came up a little short in the first (game)," McHugh said. "I think we showed in the last two what we're capable of. When we put it all together and play complete games, we're tough to beat."
Gattis hit solo shots of varying distances to start and finish the scoring. He homered into the right field seats off Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda (9-8) with nobody out in the second and connected on a deep drive over the visiting bullpen into the left field bleachers with one out in the eighth.
It was the fifth career multi-home run game for Gattis, who was 6-for-12 in the series.
In between home runs, McHugh took a shutout into the seventh, allowing a two-run homer to shortstop Didi Gregorius among five hits. He struck out eight and won for the eighth time in his last 13 starts while Houston pitchers allowed two runs or less for the ninth straight time.
It is the longest run in the American League since Baltimore did it 10 consecutive games in 1974.
For the second straight game, Houston put together a four-run fifth, though this one featured a mixture of small ball and singles.
"Long balls happen, stringing hits together happens," Gattis said. "It just kind of works together."
The Astros scored their second run on a bunt single by left fielder Jake Marsinick on a miscommunication at first by the Yankees. A sacrifice fly by second baseman Jose Altuve made it 3-0 and knocked out Pineda.
Houston scored its final two runs of the fifth on a single by shortstop Marwin Gonzalez and a wild pitch by left-hander Chasen Shreve.
While McHugh had little difficulty becoming Houston's second 14-game winner, Pineda had a tough outing in his return from a right forearm injury.
In Pineda's first start since July 24, he allowed five runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He fell to 4-8 in 13 starts since his 16-strikeout game May 10 against Baltimore.
The Yankees (69-57) concluded a 5-5 homestand but lost twice after sweeping Minnesota. They scored 19 times in the last seven games and fell 1 1/2 games behind Toronto for first place in the AL East.
"We just need to hit," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "We didn't swing the bats extremely well against Cleveland or Houston and that's kind of been the root of our problems."
The Yankees had one runner reach third base against McHugh before Gregorius homered. They had the tying run on deck in the eighth against Pat Neshek, but rookie first baseman Greg Bird flied out.
"I don't think it was real good lately," New York left fielder Brett Gardner said. "Obviously, it was kind of flat."
NOTES: New York CF Jacoby Ellsbury (sore hip) was held out of the lineup and might not play Friday. Ellsbury was injured Tuesday during a five-run first inning trying to make a diving catch on a fly ball by Houston RF Colby Rasmus. ... Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira (right leg) was held out of the lineup because it was a day game and he still has soreness in his bruised leg. He grounded out weakly as a pinch hitter for the final out of the game. ... Houston OF George Springer will travel with the team to Minnesota and continue taking batting practice before possibly starting a rehab assignment. ... Astros SS Carlos Correa had his first day off since July 1. ... Besides activating RHP Michael Pineda from the 15-day disabled list, the Yankees made three other pitching moves, recalling RHP Nick Goody from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre, designating LHP Chris Capuano for assignment and optioning RHP Nick Rumbelow to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After the game, Goody was optioned back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
