Royals endure more early trouble, lose 13-5 to Astros
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jose Altuve stumbled, costing himself a chance for a cycle. It was his only misstep.
Altuve went 4 for 5, including a home run and two doubles, and the Houston Astros extended their winning streak to seven with a 13-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.
Altuve was going for a triple in the sixth on a drive to the left-center gap, but he staggered going into second base and fell down.
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"I've seen it already on social media: 'Altuve blew a tire,'" the three-time All-Star said. "You have to laugh about it. I know they'll be talking about it the next few days."
Carlos Correa, who was in the on-deck circle, said Altuve would have made it to third if he had not tripped.
"It was pretty funny, but obviously he had a great game," Correa said. "The helmet hit his feet and he just collapsed. He tried to go for it."
Altuve drove in three runs and scored three runs. He is hitting .417 with a .484 on-base percentage while reaching base in 27 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the major leagues.
Marwin Gonzalez, Altuve and Correa, the Astros' two-three-four hitters, combined to go 8 for 15 with seven RBIs, six runs and two homers. Altuve and Correa hit consecutive homers in a seven-run second.
Houston has won 22 of 30 to move a season-best three games above .500 (39-36). The Astros are on their longest winning streak since taking 10 in a row from June 14-23 last year.
Kansas City catcher Drew Butera took the mound to get the final three outs of the ninth, his fourth big-league pitching appearance and the first by a Royals position player since outfielder Mitch Maier pitched against Cleveland on April 15, 2012. Butera gave up Jason Castro's RBI double, retired George Springer on a foulout, struck out Marwin Gonzalez on a 91 mph offering and got Danny Worth on a groundout.
"I threw fastball, changeup," Butera said. "I like to think I have a lot more in my repertoire, but I don't. No knuckleball, just four-seamer and let it ride. I have a hard time making the ball move, so, I think if I had a different pitch, I'll take it."
Michael Feliz (5-1) won despite allowing two runs and three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Astros starter Mike Fiers, staked to a 9-1 lead in the fourth, was removed after 4 1/3 innings. He gave up three runs, nine hits and three walks and also hit a batter.
"We won the game and that's the biggest thing," Fiers said. "Obviously, I didn't have my best stuff. I didn't do my job."
Chris Young (2-7) yielded seven runs, seven hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings, raising his ERA to 6.54. He has allowed a major league-leading 21 homers in 53 2/3 innings, including at least one homer in all 11 starts.
Combined with Edinson Volquez's poor outing Friday, Royals starters allowed 18 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings over two nights, a 48.60 ERA.
"The bullpen was good," Young said. "The first inning was relatively good, and then the second inning I came back out and had just no feel for anything. I don't know why."
A.J. Reed, the Astros' top position player prospect, walked twice, scored two runs and had a sacrifice fly in his big-league debut.
Alex Gordon, who missed 30 games with a broken right wrist, returned to the Kansas City lineup with a home run and double.
Lorenzo Cain, Kendrys Morales and Cheslor Cuthbert each had two hits and drove in a run for the Royals, who have lost four straight.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: Valbuena, who exited the game Friday in the second inning with lower back tightness, was back in the lineup and doubled twice.
Royals: Rookie OF Brett Eibner, who hit .297 with a .514 slugging percentage in 11 games, was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. . RHP Kris Medlen (rotator cuff inflammation) gave up one unearned run and two hits in 4 2/3 innings in a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Omaha at Nashville. He struck out five and walked one.
UP NEXT
RHP Doug Fister (8-3), Houston's scheduled starter Sunday, allowed six runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings in an April 14 loss to the Royals. Kansas City starter Ian Kennedy (5-6) has given up 10 home runs in his first four June starts.
