Homer-Heavy Astros Rocket Past Mets 8-2

The New York Mets (45-24) visited Minute Maid Field to face off against the Houston Astros (41-25) on Tuesday night.

The last time these two teams played against each other was in September 2017, when the Astros swept the Mets in a three-game series. Trevor Williams got the ball for his sixth start for the Mets this season, matched up off against right-hander José Urquidy. Ultimately, The Astros beat the Mets by a score of 8-2 in game one of a two-game set.

The Astros offense took control of the game in the third inning. Jose Altuve launched a solo shot over the left-field wall to get Houston on the board with one out. After Alex Bregman walked, Yordan Álvarez hit a rocket to right field for a two-run blast. The Astros greeted Williams with their power to take a 3-0 lead after the third.

The Mets offense put some pressure on Urquidy in the top of the fourth inning, though, in an attempt to respond. Pete Alonso and Mark Canha singled with one out to potentially begin a rally. Luis Guillorme then hit a hard enough ground ball to force an error attributed to first baseman Yuli Gurriel. The error generated a prime opportunity for the Mets offense by loading the bases with one down. After a mound visit, Eduardo Escobar and J.D. Davis both struck out swinging to end the Mets chance to get back into the game.

Chasen Shreve checked into the game out of the bullpen hoping to keep the deficit at three in the fifth inning but ended up being charged with four earned runs while allowing six base runners in the inning.

Kyle Tucker tucked a double into the right-field gap, bringing Altuve and Michael Brantley into score, padding the Astros lead to five runs. Dubon blew the doors off with a two-out, two-RBI single that bolted past a diving Escobar. A nightmare of an inning finally ended for Shreve after he received a favorable call by the home plate umpire for a strikeout.

Alonso got the Mets on the board in the sixth inning with a booming shot to left field, a solo homer that would have cleared all 30 ballparks. It was his NL-leading 20th homer and ML-leading 65th RBI. Escobar parked one into the right-field seats an inning later to bring the Mets a bit closer, but they still trailing the game 7-2.

The Astros earned that run back in the eighth inning when Siri homered onto the train tracks way past the left field wall. This one would have also been gone in all 30 MLB ballparks.

Overall, the team struggled to generate any real momentum on offense. Francisco Lindor and J.D. Davis were both 0-4 with three strikeouts each. They only worked one base on balls and struck out a combined nine times, and they left eight men on base on the night.

Player of the Game: Pete Alonso

Despite the offense’s struggles, Alonso was locked in during his first appearance at Minute Maid Field. He reached safely in all four of his plate appearances, collecting three hits and a walk, including his 20th home run on the year that almost left the enclosed ballpark.

On Deck

The Mets will meet the Astros for game two-of-two on Wednesday afternoon at 2:10 p.m. Carlos Carrasco (8-2, 3.96 ERA) will take on Luis Garcia (4-5, 3.41 ERA). The Mets will look to split the series with a win before returning to New York with an off-day set on Thursday.