HOUSTON — Kyle Tucker hit a pair of RBI triples in an eight-run sixth inning as the AL West-leading Houston Astros routed the San Diego Padres 12-2 on Sunday.
Houston has won five of six and opened a 2½-game AL West lead over Seattle, which lost to Tampa Bay 6-3. The defending-champion Astros are a season-high 20 games over .500 at 82-62.
“It’s time to capitalize,” Chas McCormick said. “I feel like we’ve been playing some pretty good ball. We’re excited. We’re as healthy as we can be right now, and if we get the ball rolling, we can take this division. It’s going to come down to the end, so we just have to make sure we win every game possible.”
Tucker became the first Houston player over the past 50 seasons to triple twice in an inning, getting hits off Tim Hill and Rich Hill. He’s only the second player in the expansion era (since 1961) with two triples in an inning, joining Colorado’s Cory Sullivan, who did so in the top of the fifth on April 9, 2006, at San Diego.
This is only the second time in Tucker’s career that he’s hit two triples in a game, the other being at Colorado on Aug. 19, 2020.
“I think having the opportunity to bat twice in the same inning is nice just with all the other guys putting together quality at-bats and having the opportunity to get back up,” Tucker said. “Then, putting the ball in play and doing the most with it.”
Jose Abreu and Yainer Diaz hit RBI singles, Jose Altuve was hit by a pitch, catcher Luis Campusano made a run-scoring error and Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman hit sacrifice flies as the Astros sent 12 batters to the plate.
Houston has scored at least six runs in each of its past 19 wins.
“We’re just confident right now,” McCormick said. “Offensively, we know we can do a good job up there. We have a mix of veterans and some young guys. A lot of veterans control the plate really well. It’s a tough lineup to get through, all nine of us. We definitely feel really good up there.”
Tucker also walked in the fourth, stole two bases and then scored on an error by third baseman Eguy Rosario.
Houston won its first home series since taking two of three from the Angels from Aug. 11-13.
“We got a lot of hits in that one inning,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said. “Any time you can put up a crooked number, especially like a snowman 8-spot, that was huge for us. We needed this game at home. I think this is the first series we have won at home in a long time.”
ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.