Nick Allen, Christian Vazquez anchor Astros' defeat of Nationals

Field Level Media|published: Tue 7th July, 22:32 2026

Jul 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros catcher Christian Vazquez hits a single during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Daikin Park.

Jose Altuve homered for the second game in a row and the Houston Astros beat the host Washington Nationals 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Nick Allen drove in three runs with a single and a sacrifice fly as Houston evened the series. Christian Vazquez added two RBIs.

Altuve's 10th home run was the only extra-base hit for the Astros, who collected five singles, seven walks and two hit batters.

Washington's Jose Tena homered with one out in the ninth to make it 6-3. Closer Josh Hader came on with James Wood on first and two outs. He allowed an infield single and a walk before striking out Dylan Crews to secure his 10th save.

Steven Okert (2-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts for the win.

Wood also homered for the Nationals, finishing with two hits and two runs.

Washington's Andrew Alvarez (2-2) went 5 2/3 innings in his longest outing of the season. He gave up five runs on four hits and five walks.

Astros starter Tatsuya Imai went 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits.

Wood gave the Nationals an early 1-0 lead with his 25th homer, his eighth to lead off a game this season.

Christian Walker was hit by a pitch leading off the Houston second and Cam Smith walked. An infield single by Brice Matthews loaded the bases and Walker scored on Allen's sacrifice fly.

Wood walked leading off the bottom of the third, went to third on a single by Luis Garcia Jr. and scored on CJ Abrams' sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.

Houston took the lead after Walker and Smith opened the fourth with a single and a walk. After a forceout left runners on first and third, Matthews walked and Allen grounded a two-run single to left. Matthews and Allen pulled off a double steal to set up Vazquez's sacrifice fly, which made it 4-2.

In the Houston sixth, Zach Dezenzo walked, stole second and later scored on a Vazquez single, extending the lead to 5-2.

Riley Cornelio struck out the first three batters he faced before Altuve homered with two outs in the eighth to make it 6-2.

--Field Level Media