Homer Happy Houston
Correa, Gattis give Astros boost in 5-4 win over Tampa Bay
HOUSTON—Carlos Correa and Evan Gattis hit back-toback homers in the ninth inning to lift the Houston Astros to a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.
Mikie Mahtook’s first homer this season, a towering shot with two outs in the ninth inning, had put the Rays on top before Houston’s dramatic comeback.
Correa connected on the first pitch in the ninth inning from Alex Colome (1-4) on a home run to the seats in right field to tie it 4-4.
Gattis then fought through eight pitches before sending the ninth to right field for his 21st homer that gave Houston the win.
He bounded through the celebration at home plate before ripping off his jersey Superman-style and continuing the celebration bare-chested.
Corey Dickerson hit a career-high three doubles, drove in a run and scored twice on wild pitches to help Tampa Bay come back from an early 3-0 deficit.
The game was tied 3-3 with two outs in the ninth when Mahtook sent a pitch from reliever Ken Giles (2-3) onto the train tracks atop left field.
Jake Marisnick homered in the second inning to help Houston build an early lead.
Rays starter Drew Smyly allowed three hits and three runs—two earned—while striking out eight in six innings.
Houston’s Mike Fiers yielded six hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Jose Altuve drove in a run on a force out in the first. He then went from first to third on an error by first baseman Brad Miller when he missed the throw on a pickoff attempt. The Astros took a 2-0 lead when Altuve scored on a single by Gattis with one out.
Marisnick’s homer with one out in the second extended Houston’s lead to 3-0.
Smyly settled in after that, retiring the next 14 batters. The Astros didn’t have another baserunner until Yulieski Gurriel singled off Kevin Jepsen with no outs in the seventh.
Mahtook got Tampa Bay’s first hit with a double to start the third inning. But he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Dickerson followed with a double and took third on a wild pitch with two outs. The Rays cut the lead to 3-1 when Dickerson scored on another wild pitch.
Dickerson opened the fifth inning with another double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Bobby Wilson. After that, another pitch got away from Fiers and Dickerson scored for the second time on a wild pitch to get Tampa Bay within 3-2.
Dickerson greeted reliever Michael Feliz with his third double of the night with one out in the seventh to drive in a run and tie it 3-3. TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: 2B Nick Franklin played in a rehab game at Class-A Charlotte on Friday night. He has been on the seven-day concussion list since Aug. 20 after being hit on the helmet by Kevin Kiermaier’s bat while on deck. Manager Kevin Cash said he could be activated on Saturday if things went well Friday night.
Astros: OF Colby Rasmus worked out on the field on Friday for the first time since having surgery to remove a cyst in his ear on Aug. 10. Rasmus said he’s finally starting to feel normal again, but isn’t sure when he’ll come off the DL.