The Houston Astros' World Series hangover appears to have concluded. They've been saying as much for the better part of the last two weeks with their performance and did so again, in emphatic fashion, with a 12-2 win Monday night. The NL Central-leading Brewers were the latest victim. It bears mention that the Brewers' starting pitcher was two-time All-Star and 2021 Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes.
No matter, as the Astros got two runs in the second and led the rest of the way en route to their eighth win in a row. They've won 11 of their last 12 games, are a season-high nine games over .500 and are now only one game back of the first-place Rangers in the AL West.
Burnes would cough up five runs on seven hits in five innings of work. The Astros ended up with 12 runs on 15 hits, including five homers and a double and triple. Yordan Alvarez was the star, though. He crushed this homer in the fifth:
And then put the game to bed with a grand slam, pushing the lead to 10-1.
Alvarez went 3 for 4 and pushed his season line to .305/.399/.616. He now has 12 homers and 46 RBI in 41 games played.
Bigger picture, though, the story here is how well the Astros are playing. As they scuffled along early, it seemed like only a matter of time before they got scorching hot, and sure enough, here they go.
The Astros have two more games in Milwaukee before visiting the hapless A's for three. They'll then return home for three games against Carlos Correa and the Twins before a four-game series against the Angels.
