The Astros put their foot on the gas in the first inning and didn’t let up, collecting 16 hits, including 10 against Indians starter Carlos Carrasco, for a 9-4 series-opening victory at Progressive Field on Monday night.
“We swung the bats extremely well and I thought our game plan against Carrasco was great,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “We executed it. We had three or four guys getting on base three or more times. When you have big nights like that out of multiple guys, it’s usually a good sign. Good effort on the first game of the series against a good pitcher.”
Six of Houston’s first seven batters reached base as the Astros accumulated an early 4-0 advantage. Preston Tucker (4-for-5) tacked on another run with a solo homer in the fourth inning, and Carrasco lasted just one more batter. The 28-year-old righty allowed five earned runs on 10 hits and a walk in four innings. He struck out five.
“He didn’t feel like he had his best stuff and it seemed like, because of that, he kind of went away from the things that make him good,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He started throwing a lot of two-seamers and trying to pick a little bit.”
All-Star lefty Dallas Keuchel earned a quality start for Houston, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out eight, and extended his streak of completing at least six innings to 29 starts, the longest active streak in the Majors. He also became the first American League pitcher to reach 11 wins.
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