Sunday’s pinch-hit homer from LaMonte Wade Jr. put the Astros ahead to stay in the late innings as they capped a successful week in New York that started on a tumultuous note.
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
NEW YORK — A division race invites urgency, so Joe Espada displayed some. The Houston Astros trailed by a run when Yainer Diaz doubled with two out in the sixth inning. Jonathan Pintaro, a hard-throwing Mets reliever, had held right-handed batters to a .178 average entering Sunday. Espada called back his starting right fielder, Cam Smith, and sent left-handed LaMonte Wade Jr. up to face him.
“Just thought that that was a really good spot for him,” Espada said. “Probably get a hit and tie the game up and give us a chance. But he did more than hit.”
Wade is a seasoned pinch-hitter. He had watched the Astros drive up Mets starter Zac Thornton’s pitch count and began readying for an opportunity in the fifth inning. Espada said they liked the matchup of Wade against Pintaro’s cutter, which he had thrown half the time to lefties entering the day. Wade said the hitting coaches highlighted it before he walked to the plate in the sixth.
Article continues below this ad
“(Espada) and (bench coach Omar López), they do a great job of letting you know when to be ready,” Wade said. “So you’ve got to be ready.”
Wade needed two pitches to validate the move. Taking just his third plate appearance in five days, Wade crushed a cutter from Pintaro off the facing of the second deck at Citi Field. His pinch-hit homer swung a game and a series. Houston never relinquished the lead he provided, securing a 6-3 win over the Mets to punctuate a positive week in New York.
The Astros went 4-2 on their week-long stay in the city, taking series against the Yankees and Mets. They commenced it amid less than comfortable circumstances, after ownership parted with general manager Dana Brown on Monday. They finished it a game above .500 and maintained a two-game lead over Texas in the American League West, with 25 games left on their schedule.
“I thought that we needed to come out after our homestand and get back up and play good baseball and I thought we did,” Espada said. “Now my message to them is going to be not to get complacent.”
Article continues below this ad
Wade’s home run, his third in 41 games with the Astros and the club’s third pinch-hit homer this season, allowed Espada to turn to his bullpen with a lead. AJ Blubaugh blitzed across two innings, continuing his emergence as a leverage option. Blubaugh, who leads major-league relievers in innings, has allowed one run in his last 17 frames. Houston padded its lead while he worked.
A walk, an infield single and a hit batsman loaded the bases in the seventh against Mets lefty Jefry Yan. Daulton Varsho pulled a chopper to first baseman Jared Young, who stepped on the bag but sailed his throw to the plate. Two runs scored on the play, valuable insurance given the danger residing at the top of the New York lineup.
Bryan Abreu drew the eighth and dispatched his first two hitters. But walks to Juan Soto and Bo Bichette brought Espada out to summon southpaw Steven Okert, who induced a pop-up from left-handed hitting Carson Benge. Josh Hader converted his 21st save in as many chances with a scoreless ninth. Hader has not been scored upon in his last 18 outings.
“We need to win games right now,” Hader said. “And playing against two good teams, I think it’s very important. Anytime you can play these guys hard, play good baseball and figure ways to win, I think that puts you in a good position moving forward.”
Both starters worked five innings. Astros rookie Ethan Pecko recovered from a potentially disastrous first, during which his bullpen stirred, to complete the fifth. Not doing so might have torpedoed Houston’s pitching amid a stretch of 13 games with no off day. Pecko’s first two batters struck home runs. He faced 17 more and allowed one run. He earned his first major-league win as a result.
Article continues below this ad
Jeremy Peña drove in both runs allowed by Thornton. Peña homered to open the game and struck a two-out RBI single in the second that followed a bunt single by Nick Allen, who had three hits in a spot-start at third base. Thornton retired 10 of his final 12 hitters. But the Astros made him throw 97 pitches in five innings, forcing New York into its bullpen in the sixth. And their lineup took advantage.
“Especially on the road in a hostile environment, like this place is and (Yankee Stadium) was, when you can come out of there with series wins it means a lot,” Wade said. “We’ve just got to carry that over to the homestand that we’ve got coming up. All these games matter.”
Houston
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
Avg.
Totals
37
6
10
5
1
9
Peña ss
5
1
2
2
0
1
.284
Y.Alvarez lf
5
0
0
0
0
1
.317
Velázquez lf
0
0
0
0
0
0
.188
Paredes dh
4
1
0
0
1
2
.256
Altuve 2b
5
1
2
0
0
2
.248
Walker 1b
3
0
1
0
0
1
.230
Varsho cf
4
0
0
1
0
0
.230
Diaz c
3
2
1
0
0
1
.262
Smith rf
2
0
0
0
0
0
.212
a-Wade ph-rf
2
1
1
2
0
1
.210
Trammell rf
0
0
0
0
0
0
.203
Allen 3b
4
0
3
0
0
0
.276
New York
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
Avg.
Totals
31
3
5
2
4
7
Lindor ss
4
1
1
1
0
0
.234
Soto dh
3
1
1
1
1
1
.283
Bichette 3b
3
0
2
0
1
0
.263
Benge rf
4
0
0
0
0
0
.277
Young 1b
3
0
0
0
0
2
.269
c-Morel ph
1
0
0
0
0
0
.165
Robert lf
4
0
0
0
0
2
.223
Ewing cf
3
1
1
0
1
0
.236
Semien 2b
3
0
0
0
1
1
.217
Torrens c
2
0
0
0
0
0
.239
b-Baty ph
1
0
0
0
0
1
.222
F.Alvarez c
0
0
0
0
0
0
.233
Houston
110
002
200_6
10
1
New York
200
010
000_3
5
1
a-homered for Smith in the 6th. b-struck out for Torrens in the 8th. c-popped out for Young in the 9th.
E_Diaz (3), Young (5). LOB_Houston 7, New York 5. 2B_Allen (5), Diaz (11), Bichette (22), Ewing (17). HR_Peña (17), off Thornton; Wade (3), off Pintaro; Lindor (14), off Pecko; Soto (22), off Pecko. RBIs_Peña 2 (46), Wade 2 (17), Varsho (36), Lindor (34), Soto (54).
Runners left in scoring position_Houston 3 (Peña, Diaz, Y.Alvarez); New York 4 (Robert, Benge, Semien, Young). RISP_Houston 2 for 6; New York 0 for 7.
Runners moved up_Varsho, Benge 2. GIDP_Torrens.
DP_Houston 1 (Peña, Altuve, Walker).
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
NP
ERA
5
3
3
2
2
4
83
6.23
2
1
0
0
0
2
31
3.09
0
0
0
2
1
19
4.01
0
0
0
0
0
6
2.16
1
1
0
0
0
0
13
0.74
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
NP
ERA
5
6
2
2
0
5
97
2.93
1
3
2
2
0
2
20
4.30
1
1
2
1
1
1
20
3.60
1
0
0
0
0
1
13
4.28
1
0
0
0
0
0
12
5.40
Inherited runners-scored_Okert 2-0. HBP_Thornton (Diaz), Yan (Walker).
ABS Challenge_Wade (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Soto (Strike-Confirmed); Hader (Ball-Confirmed).
Umpires_Home, Nate Tomlinson; First, Mark Wegner; Second, Jacob Metz; Third, Carlos Torres.
T_2:59. A_25,227 (42,136).
Ethan Pecko’s roller-coaster five innings
Pecko, making his third major-league start, endured a rough beginning. Francisco Lindor hit a full-count fastball for a leadoff home run. Soto hit his next pitch over the wall in left-center field. Bichette punched the next pitch into right field for a single. Before Pecko had recorded an out, Blubaugh began to warm in the Astros bullpen.
Article continues below this ad
From that origin, Pecko salvaged five innings. After Bichette’s single, the right-hander retired his next 12 batters in a row, authoring an encouraging recovery early in his Houston tenure.
“Just keep throwing strikes and keep going,” Pecko said. “Felt like the stuff was good, so just got back in zone and attacked hitters.”
Pecko leaned on his sweeper. He had used it only 8% of the time in his first two outings. He threw it 35% of the time Sunday, more than any other pitch. The Mets whiffed on seven of 15 swings against it. Pecko paired it mostly with his sinker, allowing one hit on eight of those pitches put in play and finishing two of his four strikeouts with them.
A control lapse marred his final inning. Pecko walked A.J. Ewing to open the fifth. Ewing stole second and took third as Diaz’s throw pulled into center field. Marcus Semien made it back-to-back walks for Pecko, who’d struggled with them in his first two starts. A sinker to Luis Torrens got a double-play ground ball, as Ewing scored to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. Pecko coaxed a grounder from Lindor, his final batter.
“He did not let things get out of hand,” Espada said. “He settled down and he got us five innings, gave us a chance to win. And congratulations to him, first major-league win.”
Article continues below this ad
Houston Astros’ Ethan Pecko delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Ethan Pecko pauses before pitching against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ LaMonte Wade Jr. runs the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Mets during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
Houston Astros left fielder LaMonte Wade Jr. follows through on a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Ethan Pecko delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
New York Mets’ Juan Soto reacts after hitting a home run against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor (12) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Jeremy Peña, center, celebrates with Yordan Alvarez, right, after hitting a home run against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Jeremy Peña runs the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
Houston Astros’ Jeremy Peña runs the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
Leadoff blasts on each side
Both teams’ leadoff men struck in their first at-bats. Peña crushed Thornton’s third pitch of the game, a cutter, 436 feet to left-center field. It was his ninth career leadoff home run and fourth this year.
It was the 17th home run overall for Peña, matching his total from last season. Peña totaled 17 homers in 493 at-bats last year. He reached that number in his 341st at-bat this season.
Lindor answered in the bottom of the inning, sending a full-count fastball from Pecko into the second deck in right field. It was estimated at 383 feet. Soto followed with a 396-foot drive to left-center on a first-pitch curveball, his 22nd home run of the season.
It marked the fifth time in Mets franchise history their first two batters of a game have both homered. It was also their seventh instance of back-to-back home runs this season.
Injury notes
Third baseman Carlos Correa will see a doctor Tuesday for a four-month checkup following his surgery for a torn left ankle tendon. Correa has resumed running and hitting in his attempt to return this season, and the checkup could clear him to work toward running the bases and sliding, Espada said pregame.
Outfielder Brice Matthews has not seen a “significant change” in his progress recovering from a sprained knee in the past week, Espada said. Matthews may run bases in the “next couple of days,” Espada said, a key step he must clear before the Astros would send him on a minor-league rehab assignment.
Up next
The Astros will return home and begin a four-game series against the White Sox on Monday, continuing a stretch of 13 games with no off-day that will conclude with a series against the Diamondbacks.
Peter Lambert is scheduled to start Monday’s series opener opposite White Sox left-hander Anthony Kay. The Astros have not named a starter for Tuesday, when Chicago will start right-hander Sean Burke.
Hayden Wesneski and Hunter Brown are slated to start the final two games for the Astros. The White Sox have not named a starter for Wednesday and will start right-hander Luis Castillo in the series finale.
“We have two really good teams coming to Houston and we have to continue to play well,” Espada said. “But I’m really proud of our effort.”