HOUSTON — Lance McCullers Jr. looked like the pitcher the Astros have been waiting on, and Jose Altuve reminded everyone why he remains the engine of this lineup. Together, they powered Houston to an 8-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Monday night at Daikin Park.
McCullers worked seven strong innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out nine. The right-hander, who has spent much of the past two seasons on the injured list, was sharp and in command from the start, giving Houston a stabilizing performance at the top of the rotation in his longest outing since 2022.
The Astros struck early. In the first inning, Altuve singled to lead off, Yordan Alvarez followed with a base hit, and Isaac Paredes loaded the bases with another single. Carlos Correa grounded into a double play, but Altuve crossed the plate to give Houston a 1-0 lead.
Houston broke it open in the third. Alvarez launched a two-run homer to right field with Altuve aboard, extending the lead to 3-0 and putting the game firmly in McCullers’ control.
Brice Matthews added to the momentum in the fifth, driving a solo home run to center field for his first of the 2026 season. The rookie continues to show confidence at the plate early in the year.
The Astros kept building in the sixth. Cam Smith doubled, Jake Meyers moved him to third with a single, and Yainer Diaz brought him home with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-0.
Then Altuve took over. He homered in the seventh to push the lead to 6-0, then went deep again in the eighth off Johan Oviedo, finishing the night with two home runs and four RBIs. Christian Walker also contributed a two-run double in the seventh, matching Altuve with four RBIs.
Boston’s only run came in the eighth on a Wilyer Abreu ground-rule double that scored Jarren Duran. Ryan Weiss closed out the final two innings, striking out three.
McCullers’ final line—seven innings, four hits, one run, one walk, nine strikeouts—lowered his ERA to 1.29 and provided a strong early-season statement. The Astros improved to 3-2 and will continue the series against Boston at Daikin Park with Hunter Brown starting Tuesday.
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