Aside from a pair of two-run homers, Gerrit Cole (3-4) pitched well for the Astros as he lasted into the seventh and struck out nine hitters over 6.1 innings pitched.
George Springer’s 11th home run of the season gave the Astros the first lead of the night in the bottom of the first. The homer was Springer’s third of the season to lead off a game.
It didn’t take long for the Astros to add to their lead as Carlos Correa, like Springer in the first, homered to lead off the second inning. The home run, Correa’s seventh, gave the Astros a 2-0 edge and extended Correa’s hitting streak to 16 games, the longest of his career.
Jose Altuve, who turned 29-years-old on Monday, would tack on another run for the Astros in the third. He was hit by a pitch to start the inning, an Alex Bregman walk would put runners on first and second. Correa, after a Brantley pop out, would pick up his second hit of the night to load the bases, and then Josh Reddick drew a bases loaded walk to give the Astros a 3-0 lead. A Yuli Gurriel strikeout and a Robinson Chirinos ground out would limit the damage.
With the Astros leaving a total of five men on base in the second and third innings, it kept Kansas City in the game, and they would close the gap in the top of the fourth. After a bloop single to third by Alex Gordon, Hunter Dozier blasted his ninth home run of the season over the wall in left to trim the Astros lead to 3-2.
Adalberto Mondesi’s fifth home run of the season followed a single by Billy Hamilton to lead off the fifth inning to give the Royals a 4-3 lead.
The Astros would respond in the bottom of the sixth when Robinson Chirinos hit an opposite field two-run homer against Kansas City starter Jakob Junis that regained the lead for the Astros at 5-4.
Kansas City made things interesting in the top of the eighth as they loaded the bases with two outs against Astros’ reliever Will Harris. Hector Rondon was called into the game and got Kelvin Gutierrez to hit a weak grounder to second. Altuve made a bare handed grab and threw out Gutierrez to preserve the lead.
Springer would provide some insurance in the bottom half of the eighth when he tripled on a gapper to right center field that scored Chirinos, who walked earlier in the inning, to put the Astros ahead 5-3.
Roberto Osuna was called upon to close the game in the ninth and retired the side in order for his eighth save in eight tries this year and has converted 23 straight saves dating back to last season.