HOUSTON (AP) — Christian Walker had three hits, including a home run, and the Houston Astros used a six-run third inning to snap an eight-game losing streak with a 7-6 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.
The losing streak was the Astros’ longest since ending the 2013 season with a 15-game skid.
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Houston Astros pitcher Enyel de Los Santos (65) yells after a strikeout to earn the save during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Colorado Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy (31) fields a single by Houston Astros' Christian Walker during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros' Christian Walker tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros' Cam Smith hits an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston trailed 3-0 before Walker hit a solo homer in the second inning. The Astros then took advantage of two errors by Rockies second baseman Willi Castro to score six times in the third.
After Jose Altuve reached on Castro's first error, Yordan Alvarez tied the game with a two-run double down the right-field line. Walker later drove in Alvarez with a fielder’s choice to give Houston a 4-3 lead. Cam Smith and Christian Vazquez added RBI singles, and Joey Loperfido reached on Castro’s second error.
Houston sent 11 men to the plate in the inning, and five of the runs were unearned.
Colorado scored runs in the fourth, fifth and eighth innings to cut the deficit to 7-6, but Mickey Moniak popped out against Bryan King with the go-ahead run on base to end the eighth inning.
Enyel De Los Santos struck out Jordan Beck with runners at the corners in the ninth inning to lock down his first save of the season.
Hunter Goodman hit two home runs for the Rockies for the sixth multihomer game of his career.
Beck went 2 for 5 and hit his first home run of the season for the Rockies, who have lost five straight.
Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti opposes Rockies LHP José Quintana (0-0, 4.15 ERA) when the series continues on Wednesday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Houston Astros pitcher Enyel de Los Santos (65) yells after a strikeout to earn the save during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Colorado Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy (31) fields a single by Houston Astros' Christian Walker during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros' Christian Walker tosses his bat after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros' Cam Smith hits an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said LaMelo Ball should have been ejected for tripping Bam Adebayo, leading to a lower back injury that knocked the Heat's star center out of Tuesday night's 127-126 play-in tournament loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Ball fell to the floor after missing a shot on a drive to the basket early in the second quarter, and he appeared to reach out with his left arm and grab Adebayo's left leg, causing the big man to fall.
Ball was not called for a foul, and Adebayo remained on the floor as play continued. He eventually got up and walked to the locker room under his own power but did not return.
“He should have been thrown out of the game for that,” Spoelstra said. “There is no place in the game for that.”
Adebayo did not speak to reporters.
Ball, who scored 30 points and made the go-ahead layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, apologized for his role in Adebayo’s injury but said he was disoriented because he had been hit in the head on the drive.
“I apologize on that one,” Ball said. “I got hit in the head and didn’t really know where I was. But I’m going to check on him and see if he is OK and everything.”
When asked if he intentionally grabbed Adebayo’s leg, Ball said he hadn’t seen a replay and added, “Like I said, I got hit in the head and didn’t know where I was and was just playing basketball. But like I said, sorry, and I’m going to check on him.”
Ball remained in the game and was not checked for a concussion.
“I don’t think it’s cute, and I don’t think it’s funny,” Spoelstra said after the loss, which ended Miami's season. “I think it’s a stupid play. It’s a dangerous play and obviously our best player was out. I’m not making an excuse. The Hornets played great and made those plays down the stretch. We had opportunities to win.
“That’s a shame. He should be penalized for that. I don’t think that belongs in the game, you know, tripping guys, shenanigans.”
Official Zach Zarba explained in a pool report why the play was not reviewed.
“The play wasn’t whistled in real time. Play continued with a fast break. And because play wasn’t stopped immediately, and there was no whistle on the play, the window to review the play was closed,” Zarba said. “Play was stopped, after a change of possession, and then a timeout. So, by rule, our window to review that play then is closed.”
Zarba said the officiating crew reviewed the play at halftime.
When asked if Ball should have been assessed a flagrant foul, Zarba said, “At this point, that goes to league operations, and they’ll make a determination on that in the coming days. So, they will make that determination and go from there.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) lies on the court during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) lies on the court during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) lies on the court during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo jumps to dunk during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
