Yordan Alvarez's two-homer first inning powers Astros past Royals

Yordan Alvarez became the third player in Houston Astros history and the 63rd in Major League Baseball to hit two home runs in a single inning, smashing a two‑run shot and a grand slam during a nine‑run first inning on June 12. His feat marked the first grand‑slam‑and‑multirun‑homer combo in a first inning and tied him for the MLB lead in home runs at the time. The Astros held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 10‑8.

The following night the Astros rallied with four homers, including a tying home run by José Altuve, to win 8‑7 after a rain delay. On June 14, Kansas City’s Stephen Kolek pitched a shutout, allowing the Royals to avoid a series sweep with a 4‑0 victory.

These games were part of an early‑June three‑game series that impacted both clubs’ pursuit of playoff positioning in their respective leagues.