Yainer Diaz hit a home run for the second game in a row, helping the Houston Astros win 8-5 against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Even without their star right fielder Kyle Tucker, who got injured in Monday’s game, the Astros got a big three-run homer from Diaz in the third inning. This win marks their second victory in a three-game series against the Cardinals. Diaz had hit a crucial two-run homer in Monday’s game as well.
“It feels really good to contribute to the team’s success,” Diaz commented. “Every player wants to help their team win, so it’s a great feeling.”
Tucker, who had to leave Monday’s game due to an injury, was diagnosed with a contusion and didn’t play on Tuesday night. He’s currently tied for second place in the league with 19 home runs.
“Every player stepped up tonight,” said Astros manager Joe Espada. “It’s encouraging to see everyone contributing. We need to maintain this level of performance consistently.”
The Astros scored six runs against Cardinals starter Andre Pallante, who struggled throughout the game, giving up six hits and walking three batters in just three innings.
“Pallante had a tough outing,” commented Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol. “He fell behind in the count too often, and the Astros took advantage of that. They had a good approach at the plate.”
Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti also faced a scare when he was hit by a comebacker in the second inning. Despite the injury, he managed to pitch three innings before leaving the game due to a left calf contusion.
“It was a bit shocking when the ball hit me,” Arrighetti said. “I felt tightness in my leg afterward, so it wasn’t worth pushing through. But I think I’ll recover fine.”
Astros reliever Tayler Scott pitched two innings, allowing one run, while Ryan Pressly closed the game with a scoreless ninth inning, earning his first save of the season.
The Cardinals managed to narrow the gap with solo home runs from Masyn Winn in the sixth inning and Nolan Gorman in the seventh. Gorman’s home run was nearly caught by Astros right fielder Mauricio Dubón, but a fan interfered with the catch, leading to a home run.
