Astros Erase Three-Run Hole, Steal 8-7 Win in Kansas City
HOU def. KC · June 13, 2026 · Final: Astros 8, Royals 7
Houston trailed 3-0 after three innings in Kansas City, and by the bottom of the sixth the Astros' win probability had fallen to 10.5%. What they did from there was methodical and, ultimately, decisive.
Kansas City built its lead early. Royals second baseman Michael Massey singled in the bottom of the second to make it 1-0, and in the bottom of the third a Vinnie Pasquantino line drive to center pushed it to 3-0 — the largest deficit Houston would face all night.
The Astros answered in the top of the fourth. First baseman Christian Walker launched his 18th home run of the season, a two-run shot to left that also scored Yordan Alvarez, cutting it to 3-2.
Kansas City extended the lead to 4-2 on a Lane Thomas solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. Houston left fielder Brice Matthews responded in the top of the fifth, hitting a two-run homer to center — scoring center fielder Jake Meyers — to tie it at four.
Meyers then gave Houston its first lead, taking one to left center in the top of the sixth for a solo shot that made it 5-4. Kansas City reclaimed control in the bottom of the sixth when Royals catcher Carter Jensen laced a sharp line drive to center, a three-RBI double that scored Salvador Perez, Massey, and Thomas to put the Royals ahead 7-5.
That 7-5 deficit stood through the seventh. In the top of the eighth, Astros second baseman Jose Altuve drove a two-run home run to left — with Isaac Paredes aboard — to tie it at seven.
The go-ahead run came in the top of the ninth. Joey Loperfido scored on a Christian Walker groundout, and when Royals second baseman Nick Loftin's throwing error followed, Walker reached first and Houston held an 8-7 lead it would not relinquish. Final: Houston Astros 8, Kansas City Royals 7.
The Comeback
- Largest deficit
- 3 runs — in the bottom of the 3rd
- Win-probability nadir
- 10.5% (down 2 in the bottom of the 6th)
- Lead flipped for good
- top of the 9th
- Lead changes
- 3
- Final
- HOU 8, KC 7 — won by 1
Scoring Summary
| Inn. | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| B2 | Michael Massey singles on a sharp ground ball to right fielder Cam Smith. Jac Caglianone scores. | 0-1 |
| B3 | Vinnie Pasquantino singles on a line drive to center fielder Jake Meyers. Carter Jensen scores. Bobby Witt Jr. to 3rd. | 0-2 |
| B3 | Maikel Garcia challenged (pitch result), call on the field was confirmed: Maikel Garcia called out on strikes. | 0-3 |
| T4 | Christian Walker homers (18) on a line drive to left field. Yordan Alvarez scores. | 2-3 |
| B4 | Lane Thomas homers (3) on a fly ball to left center field. | 2-4 |
| T5 | Brice Matthews homers (6) on a fly ball to center field. Jake Meyers scores. | 4-4 |
| T6 | Jake Meyers homers (3) on a fly ball to left center field. | 5-4 |
| B6 | Carter Jensen doubles (13) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Jake Meyers. Salvador Perez scores. Michael Massey scores. Lane Thomas scores. | 5-7 |
| T8 | Jose Altuve homers (6) on a fly ball to left field. Isaac Paredes scores. | 7-7 |
| T9 | Christian Walker grounds into a force out, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to second baseman Nick Loftin. Joey Loperfido scores. Yordan Alvarez out at 2nd. Christian Walker to 1st. Christian Walker advances to 1st, on a throwing error by second baseman Nick Loftin. | 8-7 |
Box score
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Line score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 0 |
| KC | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 2 |
HOUWinning team
Batting
| Batter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy PeñaSS | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .279 |
| Yordan AlvarezDH | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .327 |
| Christian Walker1B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .247 |
| Isaac Paredes3B | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .229 |
| Jose Altuve2B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .238 |
| Cam SmithRF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .216 |
| Jake MeyersCF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .221 |
| Brice MatthewsLF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .216 |
| Christian VázquezC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .224 |
| Joey LoperfidoPH | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .246 |
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Burrows | 5.0 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 92 |
| Enyel De Los Santos | 0.1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| Alimber Santa | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Bryan King | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| Bryan Abreu | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
KCLosing team
Batting
| Batter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter JensenC | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .220 |
| Bobby Witt Jr.SS | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .284 |
| Isaac CollinsLF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .215 |
| Maikel Garcia3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .260 |
| Jac Caglianone1B | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .270 |
| Salvador PerezDH | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .206 |
| Nick Loftin2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .221 |
| Lane ThomasRF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .229 |
| Kameron MisnerCF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .444 |
| Vinnie Pasquantino1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .224 |
| Michael Massey2B | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .270 |
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noah Cameron | 4.1 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 86 |
| John Schreiber | 1.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 28 |
| Daniel Lynch IV | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Matt Strahm | 0.1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Alex Lange | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 31 |