Jeremy Peña hits 2 early homers, Yordan Alvarez hits 39th as Astros beat Royals 4-2

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HOUSTON (AP) — Jeremy Peña homered in his first two at-bats and Yordan Alvarez slugged his 39th home run to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

The Astros, who entered the day leading the AL West by one game over the Texas Rangers, got back on track after a three-game sweep by Tampa Bay over the weekend.

Peña hit Michael Wacha’s first pitch over the wall in left-center field for his first homer since Aug. 30.

There was one out in the third when he connected off Wacha (9-9) again, a shot to the seats in left to make it 2-0 and give him a fifth career multi-homer game.

The Astros led by one when Peña singled with two outs in the fifth. Alvarez followed with his soaring longball to right field. His 39 homers are a career best and trail the Rays' Junior Caminero by two for the AL lead.

AJ Blubaugh and Bryan Abreu each threw a scoreless inning before Josh Hader allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth to close it out and collect his 26th save.

Houston starter Hunter Brown (6-3) allowed two hits and a run while tying a season high with 10 strikeouts in five innings.

He had allowed just one hit when he walked Isaac Collins with two outs in the fifth. Collins stole second base before Carter Jensen’s double to left field sent him home.

Vinnie Pasquantino homered off Bennett Sousa with two outs in the sixth to get the Royals within 4-2.

Wacha yielded four hits and four runs in six innings as the Royals lost their third straight.

Royals LHP Daniel Lynch IV (5-5, 3.52 ERA) opposes Astros RHP Cristian Javier (2-5, 5.50) on Wednesday night.

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