LaMonte Wade Jr. cracked a two-run homer in the sixth inning that put the visiting Houston Astros ahead for good in a 6-3 win over the New York Mets on Sunday.
Pinch-hitting for Cam Smith after Yainer Diaz kept the inning going with a two-out double, Wade jumped on an 0-1 cutter from reliever Jonathan Pintaro (2-1). The homer traveled an estimated 409 feet, crashing off the facade of the second deck in right field for Wade’s third homer of the year.
Houston added insurance with two more runs in the seventh. A walk, an infield single and a hit-by-pitch filled the bases before Daulton Varsho’s groundout scored Isaac Paredes. A wild throw by first baseman Jared Young, who was trying to nail Paredes at the plate, enabled Jose Altuve to come in.
Starter Ethan Pecko (1-0) earned his first major league win, allowing three hits and three runs (two earned) in five innings. Pecko walked two and fanned four. Four relievers took care of the final four innings with Josh Hader earning his 21st save in as many chances.
New York starter Zac Thornton left after five innings with a 3-2 lead. He scattered six hits and yielded two runs, walking none and fanning five.
Both teams got off to an explosive start. Jeremy Pena put Houston ahead on the game’s third pitch, launching a leadoff homer estimated at 435 feet. It was his 17th homer of the year and the second leadoff homer Thornton has allowed in his last three starts.
However, Pecko gave that lead back on consecutive pitches. First, Francisco Lindor slugged a high 3-2 fastball an estimated 383 feet to right for his 14th homer. Juan Soto then drilled a curve 396 feet to the seats on the next pitch, his 22nd homer.
Pena’s two-out RBI single in the top of the second knotted the game at 2-2. It scored Diaz, who was hit by a pitch and reached second on Nick Allen’s bunt single.
New York took a 3-2 edge in the fifth on Luis Torrens’ double-play ball that plated A.J. Ewing.
Houston maintained a two-game lead on Texas in the American League West.
