NEW YORK -- The Yankees have enjoyed an exciting campaign, swelling their record to a season-high 20 games over the break-even mark on Thursday. Yet as one of their biggest stars prepares to rejoin the roster, there remains a score to settle from the club's first road trip.

"They swept us at their place earlier this year," Aaron Judge said prior to the Yankees' 10-6 victory. "I know a lot of fans will come out for this weekend series. It's going to be a good atmosphere."

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And the showdown started on a positive note, with the Yankees belting four homers to erase any lingering sting from Houston's April 8-10 sweep.

Gary Sánchez, Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu homered as part of another six-run inning for the Yankees -- their third in the past two games -- as the Bombers rolled to their sixth consecutive victory, outslugging the top club in the American League West.

"Guys are swinging the bats well," said Cameron Maybin, who added a two-run double in the fifth inning. "We still don't have everybody going. As soon as we've got everybody going and swinging the bat, it's going to be scary."

Sanchez mashed his 22nd homer, Torres cracked a three-run blast through heavy raindrops into the visiting bullpen and LeMahieu launched a two-run shot that landed atop Monument Park.

The Yankees enjoyed their 23rd consecutive game with at least one homer, the longest streak in the Majors this year and two shy of a franchise record established in 1941.

"We know how well they've played without Judge and [Giancarlo] Stanton," said Houston's Alex Bregman. "They've had that next-man-up mentality, and they've been winning games."

Astros starter Framber Valdez lasted 3 1/3 innings, charged with five runs. Edwin Encarnacion joined the fun in the seventh inning, reclaiming the AL lead with his 23rd homer, a two-run shot that marked his second long ball in pinstripes.

"I felt like the at-bat quality was there all night. It made for some very difficult innings," manager Aaron Boone said. "I thought their starter was really tough the first go-round. It looked like the stuff was really good and he was giving us some problems. The at-bats the next go-round, they really locked it in and made it tough on him."

The Yankees improved to 6-0 in games when Chad Green has served as their opener, with the right-hander hurling two scoreless innings. Over his last four opening assignments, Green has retired 21 of 25 batters faced.

"I'm definitely used to it," Green said. "It's nothing crazy ... we'll see if it continues. It's nice that the guys behind me have pitched well and we're winning ballgames with it. It seems to be working."

Nestor Cortes Jr. limited Houston to a pair of solo homers over three innings, hit back-to-back by Jake Marisnick and Bregman in the fifth. Yordan Alvarez added a solo homer facing Tommy Kahnle in the sixth.

"Nestor was good," Boone said. "We kept him going when the [37-minute] rain delay came. He threw a little bit underneath just to keep him warm, so that limited what we had of him. The long layoff got in his way a little bit in the fifth inning, but he was solid again for us."

The effort did not save Cortes from a difficult conversation with Boone and pitching coach Larry Rothschild after the victory, as the left-hander was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to clear a roster spot for Judge.

"It's just unfortunate we have a roster crunch," Cortes said. "I'll just keep working on my craft, stay sharp, and hopefully I'll be back."

That move may be a temporary salve, as Boone has expressed a desire to stick with a 13-man pitching staff. New York is now carrying five outfielders, including Maybin, who is out of Minor League options.

"There's nothing I can do or worry about, except for playing baseball," Maybin said. "Things will shake out how they shake out. I am OK with it."