Astros 8, Rockies 4
DENVER -- The Houston Astros continued an unusual sort of slugging perfection Wednesday night when they hit four home runs and beat the Colorado Rockies 8-4.
It was the 26th multi-homer game of the season for the Astros, and they are a franchise-record 26-0 in such contests. The previous record was a 22-game streak in 1994.
Lately, the Astros are trotting around the bases at the expense of the Rockies. Houston hit three homers on both Monday and Tuesday against Colorado at Minute Maid Park while winning 6-3 and 8-5.
Shortstop Carlos Correa hit a two-run shot in the first inning Wednesday, and left fielder Preston Tucker hit a solo homer in the fifth off Rockies starter Kyle Kendrick (2-9). The right-hander has allowed a major league high 18 homers in 84 2/3 innings this season and leads the majors in losses.
Kendrick left after throwing 101 pitches in five innings, 58 of those pitches coming in the first and second. He gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out one.
Christian Friedrick relieved Kendrick and gave up a leadoff homer to center fielder Jake Marisnick in the sixth and a run-scoring double by Correa that boosted the Astros' lead to 6-2. Correa went 3-for-5, giving him 14 hits in his first nine major league games, and he drove in three runs.
The Astros, who also scored a run in the second on right fielder George Springer's two-out single, have won four consecutive games and five of the past six. They lead the majors with 95 homers.
The loss was the seventh in eight games for the Rockies. After going 1-5 on a road trip that concluded with the two losses at Houston, the Rockies began an eight-game homestand, continuing their season-long quest for traction at Coors Field, where they are 13-19.
Houston left-hander Brett Oberholtzer (2-1) gave up three runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings with no walks and five strikeouts. He won his second consecutive start.
Rockies manager Walt Weiss was ejected on a play that ended the third. After center fielder Charlie Blackmon stole second base with two outs, Astros manager A.J. Hinch appealed the play. The call was overturned when a replay showed that Blackmon hopped off the bag upon sliding and was tagged by Correa with his feet off the base.
However, second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who bats after Blackmon, had stepped in the batter's box, and Oberholtzer was on the mound before Hinch made his appeal. Weiss argued that the appeal came too late and was ejected by crew chief Jerry Layne.
Astros second baseman Jose Altuve did not take the field in the bottom of the third due to right hamstring discomfort. That injury caused him to miss three games before he returned to action Tuesday. Altuve grounded out on each of his two at-bats.
Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez led off the ninth with his ninth homer, a shot into the second deck in right field off Chad Qualls.
NOTES: Astros RF George Springer extended his hitting streak to 10 games, one short of his career-high 11-game streak last season. ... Rockies LF Corey Dickerson (plantar fasciitis in left foot) was placed on the 15-day disabled list just six days after being activated. He previously missed 23 games with the same injury. ... Rockies RHP Justin Miller had his contract selected from Triple-A Albuquerque. To make room on the 40-man roster for Miller, RHP Jordan Lyles (left big toe surgery) was transferred to the 60-day DL. ... The Rockies signed SS Brandon Rodgers, the third overall pick in last week's draft, for a franchise-record $5.5 million. ... Astros DH and cleanup hitter Evan Gattis was not in the lineup as manager A.J. Hinch elected to keep his outfield intact in spacious Coors Field. Hinch said Gattis likely won't start Thursday. ... Rockies LHP Ken Roberts (left elbow inflammation) began a rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Albuquerque and threw one scoreless inning.