Houston’s Jose Altuve recorded his first career hit in the 1,640th game of his big league career.
Altuve started at first base and went 4-for-6 with one home run, four RBIs and four runs scored in the Astros’ 6-3 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, on Monday. He opened the scoring in his second at-bat of the game with a double to center field in the third inning, followed by a double to left field in the fifth, a triple to center field in the sixth, and a single to center field in the eighth inning with the score 11-4. Stepping to the plate for the final time, Altuve put the final piece in place when he took a 91-mph fastball from reliever Kyle Barraclough for a two-run shot over the left-center field fence. It was the fifth home run in the majors this season. Altuve’s performance gave Houston a 13-5 victory.
“Coming up to bat in the eighth inning, I knew I was one home run away from a cycling hit,” Altuve told the Associated Press after the game. “But I didn’t want to do anything different, I just wanted to hit the ball right and it turned out to be a home run,” he said.
It’s the first time in 10 years that a Houston batter has hit a cycling hit since Brandon Barnes (formerly of Hanwha) in 2013. “It’s been a while,” said Houston manager Dusty Baker, “and it’s even more amazing that it’s been 10 years since we’ve had one in the clubhouse. It’s great to see him score.” 바카라사이트
Altuve has struggled with injuries this season. In March, he was hit in the hand by a pitch at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), fracturing his right thumb, and last month he was sidelined for three weeks with a side injury during batting practice.
Still, the “little giant” marched on. Altuve is batting .322 (78-for-242) with 10 home runs and a .944 OPS in 62 games this season. He was named American League Player of the Week for the fourth time in his career and the first time in six years on Nov. 15, and reached 2,000 career hits on Nov. 20, 13 years after his big league debut. He is the seventh active player to reach the milestone.