ASTROS DROP FINALE
Astros let one slip in a wild finish at Coors
Jul 3, 2025, 6:22 pm
The Rockies beat the Astros, 7-6. Photo by David Berding/Getty Images.
Thairo Estrada hit a two-run homer in the first inning and drove in four runs to help the Colorado Rockies beat the Houston Astros 7-6 on Thursday.
Colorado improved to 9-34 at home, still the worst home start in the modern era. The Rockies have lost all 14 series at Coors Field.
Juan Mejia (1-0) got the win in relief of Kyle Freeland, who threw six solid innings, and Seth Halvorsen picked up his seventh save. Halvorsen gave up a leadoff triple to Jake Meyers and a pair of two-out singles before getting Victor Caratini on a flyout to right to end it.
Houston tied it at 5 in seventh on Cam Smith's two-run triple, and Colorado got it right back in the bottom of inning. After Tyler Freeman was thrown out at home trying to score from first on Mickey Moniak’s double, Jordan Beck singled to make it 6-5, stole second and scored on Estrada’s two-out single off reliever Jordan Weems (0-1).
Houston scored twice in the first inning, and Estrada tied with his homer it in the bottom of the inning. Isaac Paredes had an RBI double for Houston in the second, and Estrada tied it in the third with an RBU groundout. Ryan Ritter’s two-run single in the fourth gave Colorado the lead.
Brandon Walter gave up five runs over five innings of work for Houston.
Key moment
With two runners on and two outs in the eighth for the Astros, Halvorsen got Paredes to pop out to catcher Aaron Nola to preserve the two-run lead.
Key stats
Freeman singled in the first to extend his on-base streak to 18 games. He also singled in the seventh.
Up next
Astros RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3, 6.61 ERA) will open a three-game series at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. Colorado continues its homestand with RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-11, 6.69) on the mound against the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
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The Houston Astros sent a message loud and clear with one of their most emphatic wins of the season, an 18-1 demolition of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and they did it without Yordan Alvarez or Jeremy Peña in the lineup.
Jose Altuve silenced the Dodger Stadium boos with a pair of home runs and even stayed after the game to sign autographs for young fans. Lance McCullers Jr. delivered six strong innings in a bounce-back outing, and the offense erupted behind big nights from Zach Short, Cam Smith, Yainer Díaz, and Christian Walker.
With key contributions across the board, this was a total team win, one that highlights the depth, momentum, and legitimacy of this Astros squad as the second half approaches. Manager Joe Espada is pressing all the right buttons, and with All-Star nods for Josh Hader, Hunter Brown, and Peña, Houston looks like a team no one wants to face right now.
Don't miss the video below as ESPN Houston's John Granato and Lance Zierlein react to the big series in LA, and much more!
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