Jake Meyers hit a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning as the Houston Astros opened a three-game series with a 4-3 win over the host Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.
The Rays’ Jose Caballero hit an RBI double in the sixth to even the game at 3-3. But the deadlock did not last long as Meyers led off the seventh with his third deep shot of the season off Manuel Rodriguez (0-2).
Meyers went 2-for-3 with two runs, a walk and a stolen base.
Houston’s 11-hit attack was highlighted by Jeremy Pena’s 3-for-4 showing. Victor Caratini hit a solo homer while Cam Smith was 2-for-4 with a double, run and RBI. Isaac Paredes added two hits.
A local product from St. Petersburg, Astros’ starting pitcher Colton Gordon surrendered three runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings in his second career start. He struck out seven without a walk. Bryan King (2-0) left Caballero stranded at second, retiring a pair of Rays in the sixth. Josh Hader earned his 12th save with a scoreless ninth.
Tampa Bay’s Danny Jansen hit a two-run homer while Yandy Diaz was 2-for-4 with a double and a run. Chandler Simpson stole two bases.
Rays’ starter Ryan Pepiot allowed three runs on eight hits over six innings. He fanned two with a walk.
The visitors broke through for a trio of runs in the second after Pepiot recorded two outs right away. The switch-hitting Caratini, batting from the left side, drilled an 85 mph 0-1 change-up to right center for his third homer of the season. Meyers’ walk and stolen base turned into a 2-0 lead on Smith’s double. Then Chas McCormick added an RBI single in the productive frame.
Following a leadoff single by Brandon Lowe in the fifth, Jansen lofted his third homer down the right field line to make it 3-2. According to Statcast metrics, the ball traveled only 330 feet, revealing that it would only have left the Tampa venue and Yankee Stadium.
Owning an 11-for-11 mark in saves, Hader worked around a catcher’s interference and Simpson’s second stolen base. He preserved the win by retiring Taylor Walls on a bunt pop-out and Ben Rortvedt on a foul-out to third.
