HOUSTON — The Kansas City Royals’ dynamic rookie duo of Bobby Witt Jr. and MJ Melendez each crushed a home run, but it wasn’t enough as the Houston Astros exploded for four homers of their own in a nine-run scoring outburst.
Royals starting pitcher Zack Greinke, who pitched for the Astros from the trade deadline of 2019 through the end of the 2021 season, allowed six earned runs on 10 hits and two walks in five innings. He allowed two home runs, both in the fifth inning.
The Astros tacked on three more runs and two more homers against Royals reliever Jackson Kowar on their way to dealing the Royals a 9-7 loss in front of an announced 28,762 on Tuesday night in the second game of a four-game set at Minute Maid Park.
The Royals (29-50) have lost the first two games of the series after the Astros won Monday afternoon’s opener on a walk-off home run.
Witt went 2 for 5 with three RBIs and his 12th home run of the season, but left the game after getting hit on the hand by a pitch in the ninth inning. Melendez went 1 for 3 with a walk. Whit Merrifield and Kyle Isbel both smacked triples for the Royals. Left fielder Andrew Benintendi (1 for 3, walk, RBI) was on base twice.
Astros rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena, third baseman Alex Bregman, first baseman Aledmys Diaz and left fielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez belted homers for the Astros (53-27).
