Astros Taken Down in the Tenth by D-Backs, 6-4

For the second straight night a weak offense forced the Astros into an extra-inning game. But unlike Friday’s game, the Astros could not pull out the win tonight against the Diamondbacks, going down 6-4.

The game started hopefully for the Astros, as the Astros took an early 2-0 lead on a Yordan Alvarez homer, his 31st of the year.

The D-Backs got three in the third in what could have been a clean inning when Yuli Gurriel’s error scored David Peralta. The grounder should have been a double play. Instead it led to two more runs on a Christian Walker RBI double and a Pavin Smith RBI single.

Even though Astros starter Lance McCullers could have escaped the third without a run, it was still a rough outing for him. In six innings he allowed seven hits and two walks. His command was off, throwing 64 strikes in 111 pitches, although he did strike out eight D-Backs.

McCullers was saved from another run in the sixth when Josh Van Meter was thrown out at home on a relay by Carlos Correa from Yordan Alvarez in left field.

The Astros tied the score in the sixth when Carlos Correa sac flied Yuli Gurriel, moving Kyle Tucker to third base. But Tucker killed the rally by later getting picked off.

The game went into extra innings with the D-Backs scoring three in the tenth, starting with a Cole Calhoun RBI single, followed by a Daulton Varsho two-run homer off Yimi Garcia.

The Astros attempted a comeback in the bottom of the tenth when pinch hitter Jason Castro singled home extra runner Jake Meyers. And although the Astros would have the tying runs in scoring position, Alex Bregman and Yuli Guriel failed to hit them in, giving the D-Backs the 6-4 win.

Box Score and Videos Here

Zack Greinke goes for the Astros tomorrow in the rubber match at 1:10 CDT