ASTROS DEFEAT MARLINS
Astros lineup comes alive in much-needed response
Aug 5, 2025, 10:17 am
ASTROS DEFEAT MARLINS
Jason Alexander pitched six scoreless innings, Jeremy Peña doubled twice and the Houston Astros used a five-run fourth to beat the Miami Marlins 8-2 on Monday night.
Alexander picked up his second win of the season after holding Miami to three hits. He struck out six and walked one.
The Astros built a 5-0 lead during a disastrous fourth by Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara (6-10), who was perfect his first time through the Houston order before giving up six hits in the inning.
Peña led off the fourth with a double. Jesús Sánchez then drove in Peña with a double in his first game against his former team, which dealt him to Houston at the trade deadline. Yainer Diaz added a two-run double, Carlos Correa had an RBI single and Christian Walker drove in another run on a fielder’s choice.
Alcantara allowed nine hits and six runs. He struck out five over seven innings and threw 100 pitches.
Peña made it 6-0 with an RBI double in the seventh.
Astros reliever Bryan King allowed back-to-back pinch-hit home runs to Javier Sanoja and Derek Hill that made it 6-2 in the seventh. Sanoja connected on a 91 mph fastball and sent it 402 feet to left center. Hill drove a 1-2 sweeper to left.
Pinch-hitter Mauricio Dubón restored Houston’s five-run lead with an RBI double in the eighth, and Cam Smith added an RBI single.
After loading the bases on consecutive two-out base hits and a walk, Alexander (2-1) got Otto Lopez to ground out to keep Miami scoreless in the sixth.
The Marlins had a five-game winning streak snapped.
Marlins RHP Cal Quantrill (4-8, 4.79) will start the middle game of the series. Houston has not yet announced Tuesday’s starter.
Yordan Alvarez homered for the first time since returning from a fractured right hand, helping Framber Valdez and the Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 4-0 on Wednesday night.
Yordaddy is home. pic.twitter.com/MnHS2ohWH1
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 28, 2025
Alvarez hit a two-run drive off Angel Chivilli in the eighth inning for his fourth homer this season. The slugger was activated from the 60-day injured list Tuesday and went 0 for 2 with two walks in his first game back.
Valdez (12-7) allowed three hits — all singles — in seven innings. The left-hander struck out five and walked two.
Cam Smith also went deep for Houston, which remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Seattle for the top spot in the AL West.
CAM THE MAN SMASH pic.twitter.com/n9u8shRKD4
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 28, 2025
Injury updates
The Houston Astros placed catcher Victor Caratini on the concussion injured list on Wednesday, putting the AL West leaders in a bind behind the plate.
Yainer Diaz, another Houston catcher, is day to day with a left wrist injury. He was hit by an errant pitch from Craig Kimbrel while catching in the eighth inning of Sunday’s 3-2 loss at Baltimore.
The Astros recalled catcher César Salazar from Triple-A Sugar Land, and he got the start for Wednesday night’s game against Colorado.
Caratini took a foul ball off the mask during the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 6-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Caratini is batting .262 with a career-high 43 RBIs, while matching his career high with 11 homers in 95 games this season.
Diaz is batting .257 with 18 homers and 55 RBIs in 116 games this season.