Astros rally – In a game delayed by tornado warnings, Jose Altuve hit a tying home run in the eighth inning. The Astros then took the lead when the Royals botched a potential inning-ending double play in the ninth, holding on to beat Kansas City 8-7 on Saturday night.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Astros didn’t just hang around after a long weather delay. They came roaring back, swinging through four home runs in a game delayed for 91 minutes in the eighth because of tornado warnings.
Saturday night’s turnaround turned on one clean swing by Jose Altuve and one ugly stretch by Kansas City in the ninth. Altuve tied the game with a home run in the eighth inning, and Houston scored the go-ahead run after the Royals botched a potential inning-ending double play.
Houston won 8-7, turning a weather-stuttered contest into a late, shaky finish for the home team.
The Astros’ lineup struck the ball early enough to keep the scoreboard within reach. Christian Walker hit his 18th home run in the fourth inning, a two-run shot, and Brice Matthews followed in the fifth with his sixth home run to tie the game at 4-all.
Jake Meyers added a sixth-inning solo home run to give Houston a 5-4 lead, but Kansas City responded before the weather pause ever mattered. In the second inning, the Royals took the lead when Jac Caglianone walked and went first-to-third on a grounder before scoring on Michael Massey’s single.
Kansas City extended the advantage in the third, with Vinnie Pasquantino delivering an RBI single and Carter Jensen scoring on Christian Vázquez’s passed ball for a 3-0 lead. Lane Thomas pushed it further in the fourth with a solo shot into the left-field fountains to make it 4-2.
When Jensen doubled twice, including a two-strike, bases-clearing liner to left-center in the sixth, the Royals grabbed a 7-5 lead. That set the stage for Altuve’s eighth-inning moment. With the game tied at 7-all. Houston’s next swing-and-edges came in the ninth when Kansas City’s defense failed to turn a key play.
On the mound, Houston starter Mike Burrows allowed five runs, four earned, in five-plus innings. Still, the bigger story for him is what’s been happening lately: Burrows has surrendered 10 home runs in his last six starts and 18 on the season, the most in the American League.
After Burrows, Bryan King (1-1) worked a hitless eighth, striking out one. Bryan Abreu pitched the ninth and earned his fifth save.
Kansas City’s night included its own injuries and setbacks. Pasquantino left the game in the fifth with a right hand hamate injury after a pop up, and Alex Lange (0-4) took another tough result, allowing a hit and a walk in 1 2/3 innings in the Royals’ fourth straight loss.
For Houston, the homers have arrived at the right time: the team has hit multiple home runs in three straight games, with 10 total over that stretch.
The miscue in the ninth is what will linger in Kansas City’s mind. It was the sort of play that can flip momentum instantly—and on Saturday, it flipped the outcome for good.
Sunday’s series finale pairs Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-1, 2.21 ERA) against Royals RHP Stephen Kolek (3-1, 3.14).
Astros Royals Jose Altuve Joey Loperfido Mike Burrows Bryan Abreu Bryan King Christian Walker Brice Matthews Jake Meyers Kansas City Houston tornado warnings MLB
Tornado warnings and people still playing baseball?? Wild. Glad Astros won I guess.
So the Royals just… botched a double play and that decided it? That’s like the whole game right there. Weather delay didn’t help either.
I thought Altuve’s home run was in the ninth? Maybe I heard wrong lol. Also passed ball and all that sounds like Houston got lucky, but then again Royals always choke in late innings.
Wait 91 minutes because of tornado warnings… so did they stop it completely or just keep delaying? And why is it always called “fountains” like that’s a real thing. Astros hitting four homers is insane though, even if Kansas City gave it away with that double play.