ASTROS TAKE THE SERIES!
Astros move above .500 for 1st time this year, beat Mets 10-5
Jun 30, 2024, 6:56 pm
Astros defeat the Mets in extras 10-5. Composite Getty Image.
The Houston Astros moved over .500 for the first time this season, beating the New York Mets 10-5 on Sunday for their ninth win in 10 games as Jake Myers hit a tiebreaking single in a five-run 11th inning.
Houston star Jose Altuve was ejected in the seventh after he threw his bat and helmet when umpires called him out on what appeared to be a foul ball.
Brandon Nimmo hit his 100th career homer for the Mets, a tying two-run drive in the seventh off Bryan Abreu.
With just a few thousand fans left at Citi Field after a 2-hour, 47-minute rain delay in the middle of the ninth, Chas McCormick put the Astros ahead 5-4 with an RBI single in the 10th off Adam Ottavino.
Nimmo responded with a tying double starting the bottom half against Tayler Scott (4-2), who stranded the potential winning run at third when Mark Vientos grounded out.
Matt Festa (0-1), a New York native from St. Joseph by the Sea High School in Staten Island, made his Mets debut and first big league appearance this season and gave up all five runs in bottom half. Myers hit a run-scoring single, Joey Loperfido followed with a two-run single and Trey Cabbage added a two-run double.
Houston (42-41) opened the season 7-19 and was 12-24 before play on May 9. The Astros took two of three from the Mets and finished 17-8 in June.
The Mets reached the halfway point at 40-41, rebounding after they dropped to 24-35 in early June. They have been outscored 29-9 in extra innings this season, going 3-8 in those games
The Astros had a 4-2 lead and runners on second and third with two outs in the seventh when Altuve appeared to foul a ball off his left foot. The ball went on three hops to Vientos at third, and he threw to first as Altuve remained around the batter’s box, hopping. James Jean, umpiring behind the plate for the first time after making his major league debut Friday, didn’t signal a foul ball.
Altuve argued and manager Joe Espada came onto the field. The four umpires conferenced — that type of call is not subject to a video review — and crew chief Alan Porter signaled the out call. Altuve then slammed his helmet and bat was ejected for the second time in his big league career, the first since Aug. 6, 2016, when he was tossed for arguing balls and strikes with Porter.
Mets starter Luis Severino allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings. Houston’s Shawn Dubin, starting a bullpen game, pitched 3 1/3 hitless innings with three walks.
Jon Singleton put Houston ahead in the second with his sixth home run of the season and first since May 21. Yainer Diaz hit an RBI single in a two-run fifth that included Meyers’ run-scoring groundout, and Altuve blooped an RBI single in the sixth for a 4-0 lead.
Held hitless for five innings, the Mets cut the gap in the sixth against Seth Martinez on Vientos’ two-out, two-run double over leaping third baseman Alex Bregman.
Nimmo tied the score in the seventh with his 13th home run this season, a two-run drive off Bryan Abreu.
New York optioned right-hander Tylor Megill and left-hander Danny Young to Triple-A Syracuse, and selected the contracts of lefty Tyler Jay and Festa from its top farm team. Outfielder Duke Ellis was designated for assignment and lefty Brooks Raley (elbow inflammation) was transferred to the 60-day IL.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP Jake Bloss (right shoulder discomfort) threw a 20-pitch bullpen.
Mets: RHP Edwin Díaz pitched batting practice against players from the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones. Barring rainouts, he can return July 6 from his 10-day suspension for using prohibited grip substances.
UP NEXT
Astros: RHP Hunter Brown (5-5, 4.37 ERA) starts Monday’s series opener at Toronto, which is going with RHP Yariel Rodriguez (0-2, 5.94 ERA).
Mets: LHP David Peterson (3-0, 3.67 ERA) will be on the mound Monday night for the Mets at Washington, and the Nationals are going with LHP MacKenzie Gore (6-7, 3.60 ERA).
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
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