DENVER — When the Astros are hitting home runs in bunches, they have been a handful for the opposition this year. They slugged four more home runs in Wednesday night’s 8-4 win over the Rockies at Coors Field as they improved to 26-0 this year in games in which they have hit multiple homers.
Rookie sensation Carlos Correa hit a two-run homer in the first inning, Preston Tucker and Jake Marisnick addded solo shots, and Chris Carter capped the night with a two-run blast in the ninth to give the Astros 95 home runs this year, which leads the Major Leagues. They’ve hit 12 homers in their past four games.
“We got hot tonight with extra-base hits and doing some damage,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “We saw a little bit of everything. Early, obviously, Carlos with the big home run in the first inning gives us the lead, gives us a lot of confidence, and then come the two-out base hits and at least one two-out homer. It can be an explosive offense when we get going.”
Correa’s homer off Rockies starter Kyle Kendrick was the second of his career, and it wasn’t a cheapie.
“I was looking for something up in the zone,” he said. “I knew he had a two-seamer and he threw it to me inside, and I was able to drive it. That’s all I wanted to do was drive the ball and get a sac fly, and I was able to hit the ball out of the ballpark.”
While the Astros’ offense has been living and dying primarily with the home run this year, Tucker said Houston’s offense isn’t a one-trick pony.
“We hit a lot of home runs, but we draw a lot of walks, we get a lot of guys on base as well,” said Tucker, who hit his third homer. “Even though we get guys on, when we’re going well we score a lot of runs. When we’re playing well, we’re one of the best-hitting teams.”
What makes the Astros so dangerous is the power can come from any point in the lineup. Luis Valbuena, who leads the team with 16 homers, didn’t hit one Wednesday, and neither did George Springer, who has 10 home runs. Carter’s homer was his 12th.
“We have a pretty good team,” Correa said. “We have guys that can hit one in the ninth hole, and that’s one of the reasons we’re playing really good baseball right now. We just want to try to keep that up, playing great baseball.”