GIANTS DEFEAT ASTROS
Late rally falls short as Astros drop opener to San Francisco
Mar 31, 2025, 10:30 pm
The Giants beat the Astros, 7-2. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Wilmer Flores hit his third homer of the season and drove in four runs to lead the San Francisco Giants over the Houston Astros 7-2 on Monday night.
Giants starter Jordan Hicks (1-0), who grew up in suburban Houston, allowed only a first-inning single and struck out six in six innings.
There were two on with two outs in the sixth when Flores sent a slider from Luis Contreras into the left-field seats to make it 5-0. The homer came after Flores hit an RBI single in the second to give San Francisco an early lead.
The Astros had managed just one hit and had a runner on second when Jose Altuve singled off Spencer Bivens with two outs in the eighth. Isaac Paredes then smacked a double off the wall in left field to score two runs and cut it to 5-2. Erik Miller took over and struck out Yordan Alvarez to end the inning.
Isaac off the wall!#TheNextFrontier pic.twitter.com/oxXINXHz2o
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 1, 2025
Ronel Blanco (0-1), who threw a no-hitter in his season debut last year, allowed three hits and three runs with three walks in five-plus innings.
LaMonte Wade Jr. had a sacrifice fly in the fifth that made it 2-0.
Christian Walker singled with two outs in the first before Hicks retired the next 14 batters, fanning five straight. Altuve walked with one out in the sixth, but Hicks set down the next two batters to end the inning and his night.
Matt Chapman drove in two runs with a single in the ninth that made it 7-2.
Key moment
The home run by Flores that padded the lead in the sixth.
Key stat
San Francisco’s Bob Melvin managed his 200th career game against the Astros, improving to 99-101 with the victory.
Up next
RHP Hayden Wesneski makes his Houston debut against RHP Logan Webb when the series continues Tuesday night. Wesneski joined the Astros this offseason from the Chicago Cubs as part of the trade for outfielder Kyle Tucker.
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The Astros know how to win these games, and it shows
Jun 29, 2025, 4:28 pm
Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night to stop the Astros' five-game winning streak.
Tucker also scored four times to pace a Cubs lineup that pounded out 15 hits, including three by Dansby Swanson. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner also went deep.
Chicago hit three homers in an inning for the second time this season during a seven-run fourth. Busch and Hoerner had back-to-back solo shots to put the Cubs on top 3-2, and Tucker’s drive made it 7-2.
The offensive outburst came in support of Colin Rea (5-3), who allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The only blemish on his line was rookie Cam Smith’s two-run homer in the third, which briefly gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.
Smith, part of the package Houston received for Tucker, finished with two hits and has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3) came off the injured list and allowed eight runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Isaac Paredes, also part of the Astros' trade return for Tucker, hit his 17th home run.
Key moment
Tucker’s three-run homer in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 7-2.
Key stat
McCullers has a 10.89 ERA in five home starts this season, but hasn’t allowed an earned run in three road starts.
Up next
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (8-4, 2.88 ERA) opposes RHP Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.77 ERA) when the series concludes Sunday.