Houston Astros Taylor Trammell, right, celebrates with Cam Smith after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
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Houston Astros closer Josh Hader (71) delivers during the ninth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
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Houston Astros Taylor Trammell (26) reacts after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
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Houston Astros Taylor Trammell, right, celebrates with LaMonte Wade Jr. after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan Abreu (52) laughs in the dugout during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
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Houston Astros pitcher Ethan Pecko talks with manager Joe Espada in the dugout during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
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Houston Astros pitcher Ethan Pecko (70) is seen in the dugout during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros pitcher Ethan Pecko (70) is seen in the dugout during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros pitcher Ethan Pecko (70) is seen in the dugout during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) reacts after hitting his 40th home run of the season during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) hits a solo home run during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. The home run was Alvarez’s 40th of the season.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan Abreu (52) delivers during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) gets to a double by Kansas City Royals John Rave during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Jose Altuve (27) gestures as he talks with Kansas City Royals first baseman Salvador Perez after hitting a double during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Jose Altuve (27) hits a double during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Jose Altuve (27) hits a double during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) controls his glove as he hits the outfield padding after catching a fly ball by Kansas City Royals Salvador Perez during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) catches a fly ball by Kansas City Royals Salvador Perez during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, left, jokes with Kansas City Royals first baseman Salvador Perez during the third inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) hits a single during the third inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
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Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz, left, gives pitcher Ethan Pecko a fist-bump after striking out Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt Jr. to end the top of the third inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros pitcher Ethan Pecko (70) delivers during the third inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Jeremy Peña (3) reacts after hitting a solo home run off Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Jeremy Peña (3) reacts after hitting a solo home run off Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Jeremy Peña (3) reacts after hitting a solo home run off Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros pitcher Bryan King (74) delivers during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros pitcher Bryan King (74) delivers during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Joe Espada (19) walks back to the dugout after pulling Houston Astros starting pitcher Miguel Ullola during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros starting pitcher Miguel Ullola (66) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after being pulled during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros starting pitcher Miguel Ullola hands the baseball to manager Joe Espada after being pulled during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros starting pitcher Miguel Ullola (66) looks down at his hand after during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros starting pitcher Miguel Ullola (66) reacts after hitting Kansas City Royals Jac Caglianone to load the bases during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
A night after falling into a first-place tie in the American League West, the Houston Astros held serve in a division race entering its final days.
Their sputtering lineup slugged five home runs. Four pitchers combined to hold the Kansas City Royals to three hits. With a 6-2 win on Thursday night at Daikin Park, the Astros secured a series against a club out of contention and maintained their footing in the AL playoff picture.
The Astros ensured they would remain at least tied atop the AL West with the Rangers, over whom they hold the tiebreaker, pending Texas’ result against Boston. Nine games remain in their season, the next three against the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves.
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Houston’s lineup totaled 12 hits in the first two games against Kansas City, half of those from leadoff man Jeremy Peña. It had 11 in the finale, including five solo home runs. Four came against Royals starter Seth Lugo, who allowed that many in a game for just the third time in 11 major-league seasons.
Peña, again, provided the spark, hitting the first pitch Lugo threw onto the left-field train tracks. It erased the 1-0 lead the Royals built in the top of the first. Daulton Varsho, batting .181 since the Astros acquired him at the trade deadline, drove a fastball from Lugo into their bullpen in the second inning.
Kansas City
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
Avg.
Totals
29
2
3
1
2
6
Jensen c
3
1
2
1
1
0
.235
Witt ss
3
0
0
0
1
2
.276
Caglianone dh
2
0
0
0
0
1
.277
a-Loftin ph
1
0
0
0
0
0
.231
Garcia 3b
4
0
0
0
0
0
.262
Massey 2b
4
0
0
0
0
1
.279
Perez 1b
3
0
0
0
0
0
.227
Rave rf
3
1
1
0
0
1
.222
Isbel cf
3
0
0
0
0
1
.219
Collins lf
3
0
0
0
0
0
.219
Houston
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
Avg.
Totals
34
6
11
6
2
7
Peña ss
5
1
2
2
0
1
.279
Alvarez dh
4
1
2
1
0
0
.311
Paredes 3b
3
0
1
0
1
0
.257
Altuve 2b
4
0
1
0
0
1
.243
Allen 2b
0
0
0
0
0
0
.279
Diaz c
4
0
1
0
0
0
.277
Varsho cf
4
1
1
1
0
1
.224
Trammell lf
3
2
1
1
1
1
.206
Smith rf
3
0
0
0
0
2
.212
Wade 1b
4
1
2
1
0
1
.212
Kansas City
100
000
010_2
3
0
Houston
110
021
01x_6
11
0
a-flied out for Caglianone in the 9th.
LOB_Kansas City 3, Houston 7. 2B_Rave (7), Altuve (24), Wade (6). HR_Peña (20), off Lugo; Varsho (12), off Lugo; Wade (4), off Lugo; Alvarez (40), off Lugo; Trammell (8), off Lange. RBIs_Jensen (75), Peña 2 (51), Varsho (40), Wade (19), Alvarez (99), Trammell (22). SB_Smith (11).
Runners left in scoring position_Kansas City 2 (Witt, Massey); Houston 4 (Peña, Diaz 2, Alvarez). RISP_Kansas City 1 for 6; Houston 1 for 5.
Runners moved up_Garcia, Collins, Wade. GIDP_Garcia, Altuve.
DP_Kansas City 1 (Garcia, Massey, Perez); Houston 1 (Altuve, Wade).
Kansas City
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
NP
ERA
Lugo, L, 7-9
5
8
4
4
1
5
76
5.06
Thomas
1
2
1
1
1
0
21
9.33
Cuas
1
0
0
0
0
1
14
2.25
Lange
1
1
1
1
0
1
23
6.09
Houston
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
NP
ERA
Ullola
2-3
0
1
1
2
0
11
4.15
King, W, 3-5
1
1-3
0
0
0
0
1
16
4.78
Pecko, H, 1
5
2-3
3
1
1
0
4
71
3.77
Abreu, H, 16
1-3
0
0
0
0
1
5
3.77
Hader
1
0
0
0
0
0
14
0.83
Inherited runners-scored_King 1-0, Abreu 1-0. HBP_Ullola (Caglianone), Lange (Smith). WP_Abreu.
ABS Challenge_Ullola (Ball-Confirmed); Smith (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Thomas (Ball-Confirmed).
Umpires_Home, Jordan Baker; First, Junior Valentine; Second, Rob Drake; Third, Stu Scheuwater.
T_2:24. A_34,853 (41,000).
Ethan Pecko, the right-hander making his sixth major-league outing, entered in the third, inheriting a 2-1 lead, and subdued the Royals until the eighth. Pecko scattered three hits over 5 2/3 innings of bulk-relief work, his second straight strong outing in that role, while Houston’s lineup added to its lead.
“Pecko came in and just a great job saving some of our guys in the bullpen,” manager Joe Espada said. “We scored runs, we drove the ball, we did a lot of things well. Nice series win.”
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LaMonte Wade Jr., drawing a start at first base over slumping Christian Walker, homered against Lugo in the fifth. Two batters later, Yordan Alvarez struck his 40th home run of the season, a soaring drive to the second deck in right field. Peña beat a two-out infield single in the sixth to make it 5-1.
A two-out single by Carter Jensen in the eighth pared the lead to three and ended Pecko’s night. Bryan Abreu struck out Bobby Witt Jr. to strand him. Taylor Trammell, just back from the paternity list and the birth of his son, TJ, hit the Astros’ fifth home run of the night in the bottom of the inning.
“Seeing my wife, all that she had to go through, and then finally the emotion of seeing my son born, it’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt,” Trammell said. “And then today’s my brother’s birthday, too, so it was just a collective wave of emotions. I was like, ‘Don’t cry.’ But it’s funny how the game goes.”
Josh Hader worked the ninth inning with a four-run lead, a non-save situation, underscoring where the Astros stand with nine games to play. Every win is critical for them.
A benchmark for Yordan Alvarez
Alvarez arced a fastball from Lugo into the second deck in right field in the fifth inning for his 40th home run of the season, a number just four other Houston hitters have reached.
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His 40-home run season is the eighth in Astros franchise history. Jeff Bagwell logged three such seasons, Lance Berkman had two and Richard Hidalgo and Alex Bregman each recorded one.
Bagwell holds the franchise record with 47 home runs. Alvarez pulled within one home run of American League leader Junior Caminero and within three RBIs of Pete Alonso, the AL leader in that category.
“Obviously, Yordan’s our horse,” Peña said. “Where he goes, we go. And he’s been doing it all year. He’s been carrying us all year.”
Strong work by Ethan Pecko
Pecko has worked behind an opener in his last two outings and been effective in both. Against the Rays, he allowed one hit across 5 2/3 innings. He held the Royals to three hits in 5⅔ frames, did not walk a batter and struck out four.
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“I’ve been in-zone a lot recently,” Pecko said. “I’ve got some swing-and-miss pitches and then also some pitch-to-contact pitches. And (the Royals) were swinging early so it just helped me get in zone early and create weak contact.”
Pecko was efficient, recording his first nine outs on 29 pitches. He took the mound in the sixth with the Royals still hitless, but Jensen’s one-out single up the middle ended the budding no-hit bid and a run of 10 batters in a row retired by Pecko.
“When he first got up here the command and control wasn’t quite there yet, but now you see when this kid throws strikes, he’s got weapons to get a lot of people out,” Espada said.
Pecko attributed his strides in command to a mix of mentality and mechanics: “We’ve been hammering some mechanical things to clean up how I’m moving down the mound. And then a little bit of mentality where it’s like, ‘Here’s my stuff, I’m going to throw it in the strike zone, if you hit it then just tip the cap.’”
Royals hitters averaged just an 85.2 mph exit velocity on 16 balls put into play against the rookie right-hander, who threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of 20 batters faced. John Rave lined a leadoff double in the eighth and scored on Jensen’s two-out single. Pecko has a 3.77 ERA in 28⅔ major-league innings.
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Big series for Jeremy Peña
Peña’s outburst was perhaps the biggest positive from the series for the Astros, who need the leadoff man to ignite their offense. Peña entered the series batting .170 with a .518 OPS since August 3 and 7-for-47 in his first 12 games of September.
He then went 7-for-9 in his first nine at-bats against the Royals, capped by his leadoff home run against Lugo. It marked the second time in three days that Peña homered on the first pitch Kansas City’s starter threw; he did the same to Michael Wacha in the opener.
It was the 20th home run for Peña, who reached that number for the first time since his rookie year in 2022. He became the fifth Astros hitter to attain it this season. Peña had multiple hits in each game in the series and finished 8-for-13 with four extra-base hits.
“I feel like I need to get to a position where I feel like I can do damage on my pitches,” Peña said. “I feel like before I was getting my pitches and I would hit them foul or just miss them or hit them straight back. So there had to be a little change somewhere. But when I get my pitch and I can put the barrel on it, I know I’m in a good position.”
Opener strategy averts disaster
Houston deployed right-hander Miguel Ullola as an opener before Pecko for a second consecutive turn. It was less effective than Ullola’s first outing in the role, which yielded a scoreless first inning at Tampa Bay.
Ullola threw nine consecutive balls to open Thursday’s game. After issuing back-to-back four-pitch walks, he received a mound visit from pitching coach Josh Miller. His next pitch bounced and hit Jac Caglianone on the foot, loading the bases with nobody out.
Ullola did help keep the inning from spiraling, inducing a double-play grounder on which Jensen scored. Bryan King relieved him and coaxed a groundout that capped the damage at one run. King returned and threw a clean second inning before Pecko entered the game.
“It didn’t start very pretty,” Espada said. “But I thought that Ullola stayed within himself – that’s a big double play. Bryan King coming in and giving us those four outs, that was huge. Because it could have gotten out of control.”
Up next
The Astros will start a three-game series Friday at home against Atlanta, their final series at Daikin Park before ending the regular season on the road against the Mariners and A’s.
Peter Lambert, Hayden Wesneski and Hunter Brown are projected to start for the Astros, who have their three most reliable starters lined up to face an Atlanta offense averaging the eighth-most runs per game in the majors entering Thursday.
Atlanta is scheduled to start right-handers Tyler Mahle and Grant Holmes in the first two games and left-hander Martín Pérez in the finale Sunday. The Astros will not have to face Cy Young candidate Chris Sale, who had his start pushed back to next week.