Astros’ power trip comes at good time
Sit atop AL West for first time in ’23
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Houston Astros made quite a powerful statement while slugging themselves back to the top of the AL West.
By going deep 16 times while sweeping the Texas Rangers on the road, the Astros set a franchise record for the most homers in any three-game span. They also matched a major league record with at least five homers in three consecutive games. And most importantly for the reigning World Series champions, they have sole possession of the division lead for the first time all season.
“I don’t look back too much on memorable series, but this was a big one for us, especially the magnitude of it,” manager Dusty Baker said.
Houston outscored the Rangers 39-10 in a series that wrapped up with a 12-3 win Wednesday night, when José Abreu hit a grand slam and a three-run homer.
“If there’s one person that gets impressed by what this team can do, it’s me because I’m new here,” said Abreu, the 36-year-old first baseman who played nine seasons for the Chicago White Sox before signing a $58.5 million, threeyear deal with Houston. “I think that this organization, these guys, when the lights are shining bright, they know how to handle things.”
With 21 games left in the regular season, Houston (8061) had a one-game division lead over Seattle entering games Thursday and a threegame edge over Texas. The Astros have won the AL West five of the last six seasons, made it to the ALCS six consecutive times and been to four World Series in that span, winning two.
But they had never had a slugging series like the one they just finished.
Eight different Houston players went deep in the series, with five hitting multiple homers.
Jose Altuve had five homers in the first two games, including homers in his first three at-bats Tuesday. Altuve’s homers were so fast and furious that he had notched his three on Tuesday before the Nos. 7-9 batters in the Texas lineup had even had a turn at the plate
Altuve and Mauricio Dubon also went back-to-back twice in the same game.
And then there was Abreu Wednesday. He went back-toback with Chas McCormick during a game in which his seven RBIs matched a career high. “You kind of like being where we are. The guys were ready. We jumped them early and got in their tired bullpen,” Baker said after the final in Texas.