HOUSTON (AP) — Pavin Smith homered in first three at-bats for his first multi-home run game and drove in a career-high eight runs, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks rout the Houston Astros 12-6 on Sunday night to end a three-game losing streak.
Smith fell an RBI shy of the Arizona record set by Erubiel Durazo in 2002. Chris Iannetta also had eight RBIs for the Diamondbacks in a 2017 game. Smith’s previous high was six.
Arizona pulled within a half-game of San Diego for the National League’s first wild card and increased its lead over New York and Atlanta to 1 1/2 games. Houston leads Seattle by 4 1/2 games in the AL West.
Smith’s first home run of the night followed back-to-back singles to start the second inning and struck the foul pole in right. Arizona had increased the lead to 4-0 when Smith came up with the bases loaded in the third and sent a 2-2 fastball from Justin Verlander (3-6) into the Crawford Boxes for the third career grand slam.
Verlander allowed eight runs on eight hits over three innings and failed to record a strikeout for just the third time in 381 career regular-season starts. He has a 9.68 ERA in four starts since returning from the injured list.
With Verlander out of the game, Smith answered Alex Bregman’s fourth-inning, two-run home run by starting the fifth with his seventh homer of the season, a solo shot off Kaleb Ort that left the bat at 112.1 mph. Smith struck out and walked in his final two plate appearances of the night.
Eugenio Suárez was 4 for 5 for Arizona with his 26th homer, two RBIs and four runs.
Kevin Ginkel (8-3) got the last out in the fifth for the victory.
Chas McCormick and Yainer Diaz each had three hits for the Astros. McCormick is batting .409 in six games since being recalled from Triple-A.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros INF Mauricio Dubón missed his second straight game after jamming his left thumb when he dove into first base Friday. He was able to take swings in the cage before the game.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Zac Gellen (11-6, 3.69 ERA) was scheduled to face Texas RHP Nathan Eovaldi (11-7, 3.55 ERA) at home Tuesday night.
Astros: RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-12, 4.82 ERA) was set to meet Oakland RHP Osvaldo Bido (5-3, 3.52 ERA) at home Tuesday night.
