LaMonte Wade Jr. came through in the biggest spot of the afternoon, and the Astros rode that swing to another series win in New York.
Wade’s two-run pinch-hit homer in the sixth inning turned a one-run deficit into a lead, and Houston held on for a 6-3 victory over the Mets on Sunday at Citi Field. The blast gave rookie right-hander Ethan Pecko the cushion he needed to pick up his first career win.
Houston finished its trip through the city by taking two of three from the Mets after also winning two of three from the Yankees. At 69-68, the Astros stayed in first place in the American League West and now head home for a four-game series against the AL Central-leading White Sox beginning Monday.
The game started with a punch from New York. Pecko, in just his third major league start, was greeted by back-to-back homers from Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, then a single by Bo Bichette before he could even record an out. From there, though, he settled in and retired the next 12 hitters he faced.
Pecko worked a career-high five innings and allowed three runs, two earned, to earn the win. He threw 47 of his 83 pitches for strikes and generated 13 whiffs, seven of them on a sweeper he used 29 times.
AJ Blubaugh followed with two scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Houston entered the sixth trailing 3-2, then seized the game after getting two outs against reliever Jonathan Pintaro. Yainer Diaz doubled, Wade stepped in off the bench, and the right-field drive that followed put the Astros ahead 4-3. It was the third pinch-hit homer of Wade’s career.
The Astros added two more runs in the seventh to finish off the Mets.
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