The Astros carried a lead into the seventh inning Saturday night before one swing changed the game.
Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a two-out grand slam off Bryan Abreu to turn a 2-1 Houston lead into a 5-2 deficit, and the Braves went on to beat the Astros 6-3 at Daikin Park. The loss dropped Houston to 77-78 and into second place in the AL West, one game behind Texas.
Houston struck first against Grant Holmes. Isaac Paredes hit his 22nd home run of the season with two outs in the first inning to give the Astros a 1-0 lead.
Jeremy Peña led off the third with a triple and scored on Paredes’ RBI single, extending the lead to 2-0.
Hayden Wesneski kept Atlanta off the board through five innings before the Braves broke through in the sixth. Drake Baldwin singled and Acuña walked before Matt Olson singled home Baldwin. Daulton Varsho’s throw from center cut down Acuña at third, and Bennett Sousa replaced Wesneski and retired the next two batters to preserve the 2-1 lead.
Wesneski allowed one run on four hits and three walks over 5⅓ innings, striking out three.
Grand Slam Turns the Game
AJ Blubaugh replaced Sousa to begin the seventh and retired Ozzie Albies before Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Riley singled and Sean Murphy walked to load the bases.
Bryan Abreu replaced Blubaugh with one out and struck out Baldwin, putting Houston one out away from escaping the inning. Acuña then hit his 20th home run of the season to left-center for a grand slam and a 5-2 Atlanta lead.
Blubaugh was charged with three runs on two hits and a walk in one-third of an inning and took the loss. Abreu allowed one run and was charged with his second blown save.
Yastrzemski added a solo home run off Logan VanWey in the eighth to extend Atlanta’s lead to 6-2.
Astros’ Late Rally Falls Short
Houston mounted one final threat in the eighth. Paredes walked with two outs, Jose Altuve reached on a bunt single, and Yainer Diaz doubled home Paredes to make it 6-3. Nelson Velázquez then struck out with runners at second and third to end the inning.
The Astros finished with 10 hits but went 2-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base. Paredes went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. Altuve went 3-for-4, and Christian Walker went 2-for-4.
Raisel Iglesias retired Houston in order in the ninth for his 34th save.
AL West Race
Houston fell to 77-78 with seven games remaining and has lost seven of its last 10. Texas improved to 78-77 and moved one game ahead of the Astros in the AL West.
The Astros close the series and their regular-season home schedule Sunday against Atlanta at Daikin Park. Hunter Brown (6-3, 3.43 ERA) will face Braves left-hander Martín Pérez (9-9, 3.07 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT.
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