Zack Greinke wins first game for Astros, Yuli Gurriel homers twice

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Zack Greinke picked up his first win for the Houston Astros and Yuli Gurriel hit two of his team's four homers in an 11-6 win against the Colorado Rockies.

Greinke joined the team July 31 in a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks. He allowed seven hits and five runs in his first start for the team Tuesday at Minute Maid Park in Houston, but picked up his 11th win of the season. Greinke had two strikeouts and two walks in his six innings of work against the Rockies.

"I thought he pitched his way in and out of traffic quite a bit," Astros manager A.J. Hinch told reporters. "He just couldn't quite get out of the last inning with the one breaking ball that cost him a three-run homer.

"Not having been around him, I was impressed with how he goes about his business, how he prepares, how he worked his way through his outing. He was very calm and very interactive during the game."

Yordan Alvarez put the Astros up 2-0 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning. The Astros added some insurance on an RBI single by Michael Brantley in the next inning.

The Rockies responded with two runs in the top of the fourth inning, before Gurriel stepped into the box in the bottom of the frame. Alvarez flew out before Carlos Correa struck out in the first two at-bats of the inning. Gurriel then settled in against Rockies starter German Marquez.

Gurriel fell behind 0-2 in the count before smacking his 21st home run of the season over the left center field fence. The solo shot gave the Astros a 4-2 advantage.

Brantley gave Houston a 5-4 edge by plating George Springer when grounding into a force out in the fifth frame. Raimel Tapia tied the score for Colorado with a three-run homer in the top of the sixth inning.

Correa led off the bottom of the sixth frame with his 15 homer of the season. Springer plated Gurriel on an RBI single in the same inning for a 7-5 edge.

Rockies slugger Charlie Blackmon hit a solo shot in the top of the seventh inning, but the Astros put the game away in the bottom of the frame.

Correa plated Brantley on an RBI double before Gurriel stepped into the box for his second homer of the game. Gurriel evened the count 2-2 against Rockies reliever Bryan Shaw before eying the fifth offering of the exchange. Gurriel smacked the 81 mph slider over the left field fence for a 347-foot two-run bomb. Gurriel's long ball had an exit velocity of 95 mph and left the field in 4.2 seconds, according to Statcast.

Gurriel went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, three runs and a walk for the Astros. Correa went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs scored and a strikeout in the win. Tapia was 1-for-3 with three RBIs, a run scored and a walk for the Rockies.

Gurriel is now hitting .296 with 22 homers and 72 RBIs on the season.

The Astros host the Rockies in the final game of the series at 2:10 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Houston.