HOUSTON -- The Astros have 10 games remaining in the regular season and still have a leg up on the Rangers in the American League West, but their path to a division title gets more challenging by the day.
The Royals, who are in last place in the AL Central, defeated the Astros, 5-2, on Wednesday night at Daikin Park, dropping Houston back to .500 at 76-76. With Texas’ victory over Boston, the Astros and Rangers are now tied for the AL West lead, though Houston does hold the tiebreaker thanks to winning nine of 13 meetings between the Lone Star State rivals.
The Astros’ offense managed one runner past second base through seven innings, which came when Jeremy Peña (3-for-4) was stranded at third after leading off the game with a double.
The Astros have lost seven of their last 10 games with one game remaining against the Royals before the National League East-leading Braves come to town this weekend to close out Houston’s home schedule.
Peña, who hit a pair of homers in a breakout three-hit game in Tuesday’s win, added three more hits Wednesday. In fact, when he singled in the sixth inning for his third hit, he was the only Astros batter to have a hit. That changed when Jose Altuve and Yainer Diaz singled to lead off the seventh, but neither Christian Walker, Nelson Velázquez nor Daulton Varsho could move the runners.
Astros starter Cristian Javier gave up two runs, five hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings. John Rave socked a two-run homer to right in the fourth off Javier for a 2-0 Royals lead. Kansas City scored three times in the eighth off Enyel De Los Santos, on a solo homer by Michael Massey and an RBI double by Carter Jensen with a subsequent throwing error from right field by Jorge Barrosa.