Astros rally in 9th, win on walk-off walk
Houston’s second walk-off win in five days snaps slide.
The Houston Astros blared Michael Jackson hits and were feeling celebratory vibes on Sunday after snapping a skid with another extra innings win.
Jake Marisnick hit a tying home run off Kelvin Herrera in the ninth inning and Evan Gattis drew a bases-loaded walk from Matt Strahm in the 12th, helping the Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Sunday and stop a threegame losing streak.
It was Houston’s second walk-off win in five days following a 13th-inning threerun homer from George Springer in a 5-3 victory over Seattle on Wednesday.
“I love this team and I love our character, our grind,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “We don’t work at all cylinders all the time, and I think we showed that this week and still came out with a winning homestand. Whatever words — grit and grind and character — the guys are into it.”
Brian McCann walked on 10 pitches, and Gattis took a high-and-inside, fullcount pitch for ball four. Gattis said he had never ended a game with a walk before, but he credited Marisnick’s homer as the bigger swing in momentum for the team.
“The Marisnick home run was huge,” he said. “It really breathed life back into us and it was good to get a win.”
Marisnick’s homer sneaked into the first row of the left field Crawford Boxes near the foul pole. He said he wasn’t sure it had enough to top the yellow line when he hit it.
“I honestly couldn’t see it,” Marisnick said. “I hit it right into the lights and I didn’t know where it went. I knew I hit it good with a little topspin. Luckily, I got enough of it.”
Springer hit his 12th leadoff homer in the first and third in seven games this season.
Brandon Moss homered against Chris Devenski (1-0) in the ninth to give the Royals a 4-3 lead.
Springer reached on an infield single leading off the 12th against Strahm (0-2), Alex Bregman sacrificed, Jose Altuve was intentionally walked and Carlos Correa hit into a force out that advanced Springer to third.