Caratini’s Grand Slam Sparks Astros’ Narrow Win Over Rockies

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Victor Caratini’s third career grand slam lifted the Houston Astros to a 6–5 victory over the struggling Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. Caratini’s blast in the third inning provided all the offense Houston would need as the bullpen held off a late Colorado surge. The win marked Houston’s seventh in eight games and their fifteenth in the last nineteen, continuing their mid-season surge. Caratini’s home run came off Rockies rookie Chase Dollander, who allowed six earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings—his shortest start of the season. The error-prone inning began when Dollander overthrew a pickoff attempt, placing runners on first and third. Jake Meyers then drove in a run on a fielder’s choice to give Houston a 2–1 lead before Caratini’s grand slam broke the game open. Christian Walker continued his hot streak at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. On the pitching side, Houston’s bullpen was lights out. Bennett Sousa earned the win, Bryan Abreu struck out the side in the eighth, and Josh Hader recorded two strikeouts in the ninth to earn his twenty-fourth save in as many chances—setting a franchise record for the longest perfect start to a season in save opportunities.

Despite the loss, the Rockies saw standout performances from Hunter Goodman and Jordan Beck. Goodman hit solo home runs in the first and ninth innings, marking his fifth career multi-homer game. Beck tallied his first career five-hit game, a lone bright spot in a season filled with struggles for Colorado. The Rockies fell to a league-worst 19–66 and are now 8–33 at home, tying the 2003 Detroit Tigers for the worst home start through 41 games in modern MLB history. Jose Altuve went 0-for-4 and remains one hit away from tying Jeff Bagwell for second place on the Astros’ all-time hits list with 2,314. Houston’s Hunter Brown (8–3, 1.74 ERA) will take the mound Wednesday against Colorado’s Austin Gomber (0–1, 6.14 ERA) as the Astros aim to extend their win streak and the Rockies continue searching for answers.