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Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch might want to consider giving Jose Altuve more days off.

A night after he was out of the starting lineup for the first time all season Authentic Jessie Bates III Jersey , the 2017 American League MVP homered twice, including the last of three straight by the Astros in the sixth inning, to lift Houston to a 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.

Altuve, who pinch-hit in the ninth inning on Tuesday night, said getting a little break gave him a chance to regroup.

”It felt good. It’s always good to sit down and think about how you feel,” he said. ”And I came back strong today.”

The game was tied in the bottom of the sixth when George Springer’s 15th homer this season made it 2-1. Two pitches later Alex Bregman sent an 87 mph slider from Rays’ starter Nathan Eovaldi (1-3) into the seats in left field for his 11th home run.

But the Astros weren’t done yet, as Altuve put one on the train tracks atop left field for the second time on Wednesday night to push the lead to 4-1. It was the first time the Astros had hit three home runs in a row since May 2, 2008 when Miguel Tejada, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee did it against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Altuve got a little amped up after seeing the balls by Springer and Bregman leave the yard, and once he got in a hitter’s count he was looking for a ball to drive.

”There was a lot going on in that inning and I got a little excited,” he said.

It was a welcome display of power for a team which managed just five singles in a 2-1 loss to the Rays on Tuesday night that snapped Houston’s 12-game winning streak. Wednesday night’s win made the Astros the first team to reach 50 victories this season.

”It was a pretty electrifying crowd after three home runs one after another after another Youth Danny Shelton Jersey ,” manager A.J. Hinch said. ”Obviously, it was a huge inning for us. What energy that got put back into the building and also our team. Pretty impressive.”

Houston starter Charlie Morton (9-1) allowed just two hits and one unearned run in six innings for the win.

Eovaldi, who grew up in suburban Houston, entered the game 1-0 with a 2.52 ERA in four career starts against the Astros. But he allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings for his third straight loss.

”It’s just a matter of time before that offense gets you,” manager Kevin Cash said. ”He was efficient, they made some adjustments, but it was a lot of power and by that third time through, it kind of caught up. It’s just a very talented offense.”

Jake Bauers doubled with two outs in the first inning before Morton walked Wilson Ramos and plunked Joey Wendle to load the bases. But he escaped the jam when left fielder Tony Kemp made a diving catch on a ball hit by Willy Adames to end the inning.

”That’s probably the highlight of the game defensively for us just because a lot of things can happen there,” Hinch said. ”We’re playing a little bit deep, it looked like he got a little bit of a late start and then comes in with an acrobatic catch.”

Mallex Smith singled with one out in the fourth and scored when Carlos Gomez grounded out and first baseman Yuli Gurriel badly overthrew first base for an error to make it 1-0.

Altuve tied it up with his first home run of the night with one out in the fourth. It was the first multi-homer game in the regular season since July 24, 2016 for Altuve Anthony Miller Jersey Youth , who hit a career-best three in Game 1 of the ALDS against Boston last season.

The Astros added a run on an RBI single by Kemp with one out in the seventh.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: Hinch said RHP Joe Smith (right elbow inflammation) was feeling a lot better on Wednesday and is likely to throw off the mound either this weekend or early next week.

Rays: Manager Kevin Cash said INF Daniel Robertson (left hamstring strain) is doing well and should come off the disabled list on Friday.

KIERMAIER’S STRUGGLES

Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kiermaier went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts after going 0 for 5 on Wednesday night in his first game back after missing more than two months following thumb surgery. His slump is a continuation of the struggles he had before the injury and he’s hitting just .135 in 14 games this season.

”Unfortunately, K.K. just got off to a rough start and takes a month or two months off,” Cash said. ”The numbers are going to be ugly for a little while, but I’m very confident he’ll get going.”

UP NEXT

Rays: Tampa Bay is off on Thursday before beginning a three-game series with the New York Yankees on Friday. They have yet to announce their pitching rotation for that series.

Astros: Houston also has a day off on Thursday before hosting Kansas City in the opener of a three-game series on Friday. Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (4-8, 4.15 ERA), who got his first win since May 13 in his last start, will oppose Royals‘ lefty Danny Duffy.

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The way Odubel Herrera is going, he might have to make an extra trip to Washington next month.

Herrera homered for the fifth straight game and finished with four hits, helping the Philadelphia Phillies rout the Nationals 12-2 on Friday night.

Herrera hit a tiebreaking two-run shot in the third for his 13th homer, matching the club record for consecutive games with a long ball. He has connected in six of his last seven overall.

The All-Star Game is at Nationals Park on July 17, and Herrera is putting together a solid case for a spot on the NL squad.

”I’m playing hard Dallas Goedert Eagles Jersey , giving my best, so if it happens it’ll be great,” he said via an interpreter. ”That’s what you work for.”

Herrera is hitting .472 (17 for 36) with six homers, 11 runs and 10 RBIs in his last eight games. His season batting average is up to .308.

”I don’t think there’s any words for it. I mean it’s simply incredible what he can do,” Phillies pitcher Zach Eflin said.

”The thing with Odubel is that he can shake off anything at any given time. … It can look like he’s struggling and then next pitch he hits it 440 feet.”

Carlos Santana homered and drove in four runs for Philadelphia. Andrew Knapp also connected and Nick Williams drove in three runs.

The Phillies had 15 hits in their fifth win in six games. They also moved ahead of Washington for second place in the NL East behind Atlanta.

”To me, today was the first game where we really got blown out. That was a blowout right there,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ”We’ve just got to keep our heads up, guys go home and rest, come back tomorrow and do it again.”

Eflin (5-2) allowed baserunners in every inning except the first but limited the damage to two runs over five innings in his fourth straight win.

Washington’s Tanner Roark (3-8) gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings, and the Nationals needed four relievers to finish the game.

”The last two starts I’ve left the bullpen out to dry,” Roark said Authentic Mike Remmers Jersey Elite Womens Youth Big&Tall Nike Minnesota Vikings NFL Shop Free Shipping , ”and I’m just not happy about it.”

The Nationals have dropped eight of 11, including the completion of a suspended game. They are in third place this late in the season for the first time since 2013.

Michael A. Taylor extended his hitting streak to 13 games and drove in Washington’s first run when he capped an 11-pitch at-bat with a double in the second.

HARPER DERBY BOUND

On Friday afternoon the Nationals tweeted: ”tfw Bryce announces he’ll do the (at)MLB HR Derby if he makes the NL All-Star team…” accompanied by a GIF of Harper celebrating in the dugout.

RECORD HOLDERS

Chase Utley (twice in 2008), Bobby Abreu (2005), Mike Schmidt (1979) and Dick Allen (1969) also homered in five straight games for the Phillies. Ken Griffey, Jr. (1993), Don Mattingly (1987) and Dale Long (1956) share the major league record with homers in eight consecutive games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: RHP Jerad Eickhoff (right lat strain) threw his curveball off flat ground and will throw the pitch again during a bullpen session on Saturday. . RHP Pat Neshek (right shoulder strain) will begin a rehab assignment at Class A Clearwater on Saturday. … RHP Luis Garcia (right wrist strain) played catch on flat ground Friday.

Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (right shoulder inflammation) played catch on flat ground for the second time this week Friday. … RHP Jeremy Hellickson (right hamstring strain) will make a rehab start for Class A Potomac on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (8-2, 2.55 ERA) opposes RHP Erick Fedde (0-2, 5.63 ERA). Nola (seventh overall) and Fedde (18th overall) were both selected in the first round of the 2014 draft.
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