Astros edge Diamondbacks 3-1 behind Yainer Diaz's homer

Astros Take Control in the Third

The Houston Astros defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Daikin Park. The Astros took the lead in the third inning, scoring all three of their runs during that frame to establish a cushion they would hold for the remainder of the contest.

Yainer Diaz opened the scoring action with a home run to left center that traveled 383 feet. The Astros followed immediately with a two-run play. Carlos Paredes doubled to left, allowing Jose Peña to score, while Yordan Alvarez advanced to third base. Alvarez then crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Jose Altuve to left, extending the Astros' lead to 3-0.

Diamondbacks Answer Late

Arizona managed to cut the deficit in the fourth inning. The Diamondbacks scored their only run of the game when A.J. Moreno homered to left center. The blast carried 387 feet, narrowing the margin to 3-1. No further runs were scored by either team in the final five innings.

Pitching Decisions

Cristian Javier earned the win for the Astros. He pitched five innings, allowing one hit and one earned run while issuing three walks and striking out eight batters. His record improved to 2-5.

For the Diamondbacks, Merrill Kelly took the loss. He pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs while walking no batters and striking out four. His record fell to 9-13.

The Astros' bullpen closed out the game. Enyel De Los Santos pitched one-third of an inning, allowing one hit and one walk. Bennett Sousa pitched one-and-a-third innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out two.

Bryan Abreu pitched one-and-a-third innings, allowing one walk. Josh Hader recorded the save, pitching one inning with three strikeouts and no hits allowed. His save count increased to 23.

Final Records

The Astros improved their record to 73-69. The Diamondbacks fell to 74-68. Attendance at Daikin Park was 33,482. There were exactly two home runs in the game, both of which were solo shots that accounted for one run each in the total scoring.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816804