Astros snap seven-game skid, blast Yankees 9-4

The Astros snapped their seven-game losing streak with a barrage of homers and a strong outing from their ace.

Fans have certainly had a rough time in the last week watching their Astros fail to win a game. We tell ourselves it’s just a slump, and sure enough, they break out of it in a big way.

The team hit four homers in Sunday’s 9-4 win over the Yankees, avoiding a second consecutive series sweep. The long balls backed a strong start by Justin Verlander, whose lone blemish was a three-run homer off the bat of DJ LeMahieu in the fifth inning.

Not only does the win get the proverbial monkey off the team’s back, but it sets them up for the coming week.

Big Lumber

Jose Altuve wasted no time in starting the fireworks, chipping in with a leadoff homer. Then Tyler White brought the big blow with a grand slam in the fourth inning off former Astro J.A. Happ. The shot was just his third of the season and his only hit of the day, but he made it count.

Wunderkind Yordan Alvarez added a two-run homer to the second deck in right field to chase Happ in the fifth. Then Yuli Gurriel greeted reliever Luis Cessa with a solo blast of his own. Interestingly, the only member of the Astros lineup to go hitless in the game was Alex Bregman. It’s probably about time he didn’t have to shoulder the load anyway.

Verlander was mostly sharp, fanning nine batters across seven innings. He allowed just four hits and two walks, but was bitten by LeMahieu’s opposite field dinger. Still, he notched his 10th win of the season.

Set Up for the Week Ahead

The Astros get a well-deserved off day on Monday, so Sunday’s win was big for a number of reasons. They can enjoy the day without having a big losing streak hanging over their heads. Everyone gets a chance to take a mental break and prepare for the upcoming homestand with fresh minds and bodies.

The Pirates and Mariners come to town this week, and the Astros will be in prime position to make fans forget all about the seven-game skid that emphatically came to an end.

***Statistics courtesy of MLB.com***