Jose Altuve delivered his second multi-homer game within a week, driving the Houston Astros to a commanding 11-1 win over the struggling Oakland Athletics on Tuesday. Altuve’s powerful hitting sparked the team’s offense, playing a crucial role in the Astros’ victory.

Altuve hit home runs in back-to-back innings against Athletics starter JP Sears, beginning with a leadoff homer to left field in the third inning, which helped open a five-run lead for Houston. He followed that with a two-run shot to center field in the fourth inning, extending the Astros’ lead to 9-1 and forcing Sears to exit the game.

Early Offensive Surge Sets the Tone

The Astros jumped out to an early advantage in the second inning with a flurry of hits off Sears. After two outs, Chas McCormick and Mauricio Dubon each doubled to score runs, and Jeremy Pena capped the rally with a two-run homer, marking his seventh home run of the season and increasing the lead to 4-0.

Houston continued to build momentum when Altuve connected for his seventh homer, pushing the score to 5-0. Later in the inning, Cam Smith contributed a two-run double to left-center field, which brought home Jake Meyers and Yainer Diaz, who had reached base a moment earlier. This scoring pushed the Astros’ lead even further.

Brown’s Strong Pitching Effort Supports Astounding Offense

Starting pitcher Hunter Brown delivered his ninth quality start of the American League season by limiting the Athletics to just one run over six innings. Brown faced the minimum batters through his first three innings and struck out the side in the second. The only blemish came in the fourth inning when Lawrence Butler hit an eighth-inning homer, but Brown quickly recovered by retiring the next three hitters and inducing a double play later in the sixth.

Brown finished with six innings pitched, allowing six hits, eight strikeouts, and one run, helping maintain the Astros’ substantial lead.

Additional Key Contributions Fuel Astros’ Victory

Christian Walker of the Athletics managed a two-run homer in the sixth inning, but the Athletics offense remained largely ineffective against Brown and the Astros’ pitching staff. Meanwhile, the Astros collected 13 hits in total, marking their fifth straight game with at least 11 hits—their longest streak since 2019.

Jose Altuve finished the game 4-for-4 with three runs batted in and achieved his 40th career four-hit game. This marked his 13th career multi-homer game and his first since the recent game against the Seattle Mariners last Thursday.

In contrast, Sears struggled throughout his outing, allowing nine runs on 10 hits and walking one batter while striking out just once over 3 1/3 innings. This was Sears’ third consecutive loss, with 19 earned runs allowed over his last four starts.

Implications of the Astros’ Dominant Showing

This commanding 11-1 victory, highlighted by Jose Altuve’s multi-homer game and Hunter Brown’s pitching excellence, demonstrates the Astros’ offensive firepower and pitching depth. Maintaining such momentum with consistent hitting and strong starting pitching could position Houston well as the season continues. The team’s ability to sustain long hitting streaks and produce quality starts will be critical in sustaining competitive success.