Altuve’s go-ahead single helps Astros beat Rockies, moves him into 2nd on team career hits list

DENVER (AP) – Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning to move into second place on Houston’s career hits list and the Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Wednesday night to win their 12th straight series.

Altuve went 2 for 5 and gave the Astros a 4-2 lead with his 2,315th career hit, moving him past Jeff Bagwell. Craig Biggio leads the franchise with 3,060 career hits.

Hunter Brown (9-3) allowed two runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out eight to join Lance McCullers Jr. as the only Astros pitchers to reach 500 in their first 86 appearances.

Bennett Sousa pitched the ninth for his third save.

Jake Meyers had a one-out double off Austin Gomber in the first and Altuve and Cam Smith followed with back-to-back singles for a 1-0 lead in the first.

Rookie Shay Whitcomb hit his first home run 451 feet to left-center field for a 2-0 lead in the second.

Cooper Hummel singled and Mauricio Dubón drew a walk off reliever Angel Chivilli (1-4) in the sixth. Altuve drove a two-out pitch from Jake Bird to center to score both. Smith followed with an RBI single for a 5-2 lead.

Thairo Estrada went 3 for 4 and singled and scored ahead of Mickey Moniak’s 12th home run to tie it 2-2 in the Rockies’ second.

Gomber allowed two runs on eight hits in five innings.

Houston has won three in a row and 16 of 21.

Brown struck out Hunter Goodman in the third for No. 500 and then fanned Jordan Beck swinging on a 99.8 mph fastball – his fastest this season – to end the inning.

The Rockies have lost all 14 series at home, dropping the first two games 13 times.

Astros LHP Brandon Walter (1-1, 3.34 ERA) starts Thursday’s series finale opposite Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-9, 5.56).