HOUSTON (AP) - Carlos Correa, Carlos Beltran and the Houston Astros got aggressive early against Bartolo Colon, then cruised while matching the best start in franchise history.
Correa and Beltran hit consecutive homers off Colon during a five-run first inning and the Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 8-3 on Tuesday night.
Houston is 22-11 and tied with Baltimore for the most wins in the majors. The last time Houston won 22 of its first 33 games was 1973.
“We did a great job of getting into the game obviously,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “… It was a big inning for us.”
Houston led 4-0 after Correa launched a three-run shot with no outs. Beltran followed his third homer this season.
Josh Reddick also homered for Houston, connecting on his 100th career home run with a solo shot in the fifth.
Houston starter Charlie Morton (4-2) allowed three runs - one earned - in 5 2/3 innings for his third straight win.
Colon (1-4) gave up eight runs and three homers, both season highs, in 5 2/3 innings. His ERA ballooned to 7.22.
“In the first inning, typical of the game plan, I was throwing a lot of fastballs, and they are all good hitters and they were prepared,” Colon said. “They jumped on me.”
Matt Kemp had two hits and an RBI as he extended his hitting streak to 10 games for the Braves, who dropped their fifth straight.
Colon is the only pitcher left in the majors to have played at the Astrodome. He made his only start there on July 20, 1999, when he threw eight innings in a win for the Indians, allowing just one run - a homer to Jeff Bagwell.
He didn’t fare nearly as well Tuesday with Bagwell, long since retired, sitting behind home plate.
Correa’s shot bounced off the batter’s eye in straightaway center field. It was projected at 438 feet and might have been out even before offseason renovations which eliminated Tal’s Hill and brought in the fence.
Beltran gave Houston back-to-back homers for the first time this season when he hit the 424th of his career to the second deck in right field.
Colon settled after that, retiring the next 10 batters before Brian McCann reached on an error by shortstop Dansby Swanson with one out in the fourth. Houston didn’t get another hit until Reddick’s home run.
The Braves had just two hits before Ender Inciarte singled to start the sixth inning. Brandon Phillips reached on an error by Correa before an RBI single by Kemp with one out.
A run-scoring single by Nick Markakis got Atlanta within 6-2 before a two-out walk by Tyler Flowers loaded the bases. Morton walked Swanson to score Kemp, and Hinch replaced Morton with Chris Devenski, who struck out Danny Santana to escape the jam.
“It’s hard to keep (going) down four, five after two or three consistently; it kind of wears at you,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We just keep fighting that uphill battle all the time.”
Alex Bregman stretched his hitting streak to 10 games with an RBI triple in a two-run sixth that made it 8-3.
JUMP RIGHT IN
Santana was in the lineup a day after being traded from the Minnesota Twins for left-handed reliever Kevin Chapman and cash considerations. Santana played left field and batted ninth, going 0 for 3.
40-SOMETHINGS
Tuesday’s homer was the first for Beltran since he turned 40 on April 24. It came off one of the few active players older than in him in Colon, who at 43 is the oldest player in the majors. Colon turns 44 on May 24.
“Yeah it was an old battle,” Beltran said with a laugh. “Bartolo is a competitor man. I have to give him a lot of credit. He’s been in the league for a long time and he has been able to reinvent himself.”
UP NEXT
Braves: Left-hander Jaime Garcia (1-1, 3.99) will start on Wednesday. Garcia allowed three hits and two runs in six innings to get his first win in his last start.
Astros: Joe Musgrove is scheduled to start Wednesday. He struggled in his last start, allowing five hits and five runs - four earned - in just four innings of a loss to the Rangers.
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