BASEBALL: Astros awaken to salvage finale, end Yankees' 8-game win streak

Spencer Arrighetti delivered seven strong innings and Christian Walker powered the offense with a three-hit, four-RBI performance as the Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees, 7-4, on Sunday to salvage the finale of their three-game series.

Arrighetti (3-0) stayed unbeaten in three starts since opening the season with Triple-A Sugar Land. He allowed three hits, issued one walk and struck out eight on 96 pitches, 64 of which were strikes. The right-hander kept New York off balance throughout his outing, retiring the side in order in the first, fourth and fifth innings while working out of minor trouble in the second and third.

The Yankees managed only scattered opportunities early. Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled in the second inning, and Arrighetti briefly navigated pressure in the third after a hit-by-pitch and a walk, but he limited damage and maintained control of the game until Aaron Judge broke through with a solo home run in the sixth inning. The blast marked Judge’s 10th homer of the season, coming on his 34th birthday.

Houston built its lead quickly against Yankees starter Luis Gil (1-2). Walker opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-out, two-run home run that brought home Isaac Paredes for a 2-0 advantage. Walker, who also homered in Saturday’s game, continued his strong series with his seventh home run of the season.

The Astros extended their lead in the third inning when Paredes launched a two-run homer off the left-field foul pole, scoring Yordan Alvarez to make it 4-0. Alvarez had extended the inning earlier with a battle back from an 0-2 count.

Houston widened the gap further in the fifth. Alvarez doubled to right field, moving Carlos Correa to third after Correa led off the inning with a walk. Paredes then added an RBI single off reliever Paul Blackburn, and Walker followed with a two-run double to left-center, pushing the lead to 7-0.

Gil struggled throughout his outing, allowing six runs on five hits and three walks over four-plus innings.

New York mounted a late push in the ninth inning, scoring three runs with two outs, but the rally fell short as the Astros closed out the win. Paul Goldschmidt contributed two doubles and scored a run for the Yankees, whose eight-game winning streak came to an end. -Field Level Media/Reuters