Astros Sweep the Short Series with Denver, Take Game Two 6-4

When is Yainer Diaz going to be the regular starter at Catcher?

His two home runs and three RBI accounted for half the Astros’ scoring and were the difference in the Astros’ 6-4 win.

He opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning and made the score 3-0 with a two-run shot in the fourth. Jeremy Pena put the Stros up 5-0 with his own oppo taco later that inning.

Diaz now has ten home runs in 170+ PAs and had his first career two-homer game.

Meanwhile, Astros starter J.P. France extended his scoreless streak to 11 innings until the fifth inning, when the Rockies scored two runs on a walk, a wild pitch, and three singles. A double play by Kris Bryant to end the inning limited the damage.

In the sixth inning, C.J. Cron reduced the Astros' lead to two with a two-out solo homer to the Crawford Boxes.

It was France’s sixth straight quality start. He left the game allowing three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four in six innings pitched. Along with Brandon Bielak and his seven innings yesterday, France gave the Astros bullpen a needed rest.

The Rockies continued to chip away when Randall Grichuk greeted Hector Neris in the seventh with a Crawford Box homer to cut the Astros’ lead to 5-4.

The Astros got the run back in the bottom of the seventh with singles by Pena, Corey Julks, and an RBI single by Mauricio Dubon. However, the Astros stranded the bases loaded when sluggers Kyle Tucker and Jose Abreu struck out and popped out, respectively.

No matter. Bryan Abreu held the Rockies in the eighth inning, and Ryan Pressly secured the save with a perfect ninth inning and preserved the Astros’ 6-4 win.

The Astros have won seven of their last eight games.

Corey Julks was 6-8 in this two-game series.

The Astros begin a four-game series with Western Division rival the Seattle Mariners—game time 7:10 at Minute Maid Park tomorrow. Framber Valdez is scheduled for tomorrow’s start.