Peña’s grand slam, Alvarez’s 2 homers power Astros to 8-5 win over Marlins

HOUSTON (AP) — Jeremy Peña hit a grand slam, Yordan Alvarez homered twice and the Houston Astros snapped a four-game losing streak with an 8-5 win over the Miami Marlins on Monday night.

Peña hit his second career grand slam as part of a six-run second inning, which was capped by Alvarez’s first home run of the game.

Alvarez’s second home run of the game led off the fifth inning and landed in the second deck of the right field stands after traveling 419 feet. It’s Alvarez’s fifth multi-home run game of the season and the 27th of his career. He is tied with Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber for the major league lead with 33 homers.

Alvarez was 3 for 4 and had three or more hits for the 11th game this season.

Jose Altuve added an RBI single.

Houston right-hander Ronel Blanco made his first start in 429 days after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June and allowed four runs on two hits over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and allowed two-run homers to Joe Mack and Liam Hicks after issuing walks.

Enyel De Los Santos (1-3) finished the fifth inning and worked around a hit in the sixth, while Steven Okert stranded two runners in the seventh. After Bryan Abreu worked around a walk and a single in the eighth inning, Josh Hader allowed a run in the ninth.

Janson Junk (4-6) allowed six runs on five hits over four innings.

The Marlins have lost seven straight games, their longest skid since April 22-29, 2024.

Marlins All-Star shortstop Otto Lopez missed his second consecutive game due to finger inflammation.

Astros RHP Tatsuya Imai (5-4, 6.06 ERA) faces Marlins RHP Tyler Phillips (2-4, 3.48 ERA) on Tuesday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Miami Marlins' Heriberto Hernandez hits an RBI single off Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Janson Junk delivers to Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco winds up to deliver to Miami Marlins' Kyle Stowers during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Houston Astros' Jeremy Pena watches his grand slam off Miami Marlins starting pitcher Janson Junk during the second inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

Houston Astros' Jeremy Pena, left, and Yordan Alvarez, right, celebrate after their back-to-back home runs off Miami Marlins starting pitcher Janson Junk during the second inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

NEW DELHI (AP) — Supporters of India’s youth-led Cockroach movement said Tuesday they will continue their protest in New Delhi, refusing to leave their sit-in site a day after police used tear gas and batons to disperse thousands of them as they tried to march toward Parliament.

Hundreds of protesters camped at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site, under heavy police presence, saying they would stay until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns over alleged failures in India’s examination system.

“We are going to continue our protest,” said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, which emerged just two months ago.

The movement, drawing students, professionals and families, marks a rare public challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s government in its third term, reviving criticism over its handling of dissent and its use of force to respond to protests.

Also Tuesday, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and dozens of his Congress party lawmakers staged a sit-in protest outside Modi’s residence, marking a dramatic escalation. Several were seen fastening zip ties around their wrists.

They are there to “demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday,” Gandhi wrote on X. He urged ”every patriotic Indian who believes that our students should get justice" to join the sit-in.

The Cockroach movement began as a satirical protest but quickly evolved into a nationwide, youth-led movement focused on exam leaks, unemployment and government accountability.

It gained momentum over the weekend after prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose three-week hunger strike has become a symbol of the protests, was forcibly taken to a hospital by police.

Video of police beating protesters and dragging them away spread on social media, fueling public outrage. Footage showed young protesters crying and pleading with officers not to hit them, while others stood their ground and endured blows.

Delhi Police said nearly 180 people were injured, including 118 security personnel and 60 protesters.

Sona Bisht, a 20-year-old student who was part of the protest, said the confrontation strengthened her resolve.

“If the government thinks that doing this with Gen Z, they can stop us, then that won’t happen. We are here talking about education, talking about securing our future. And till the time our demands are not met, we will not move from here,” she said.

After nearly a month of silence, the government made its first apparent move to engage with the protesters Monday, when a senior minister held talks with movement representatives. The outreach failed to ease tensions.

Movement leaders said they wanted action rather than assurances, including Pradhan’s resignation, examination reforms and compensation for families of students who died by suicide after alleged exam irregularities.

Dipke accused authorities of breaking their word, saying police resorted to a baton charge after protesters were invited for talks.

Rights group Amnesty International said in a statement late Monday that the police action showed “how peaceful dissent is being suppressed in India," noting that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly is recognized under the Indian constitution.

More people have joined the movement after seeing the confrontation.

Rabina Kashyap, a 26-year-old working professional, said she joined the protest on Tuesday.

“I have nothing to do with this protest," she said. “But this is India, this is my country, and these are my people. So I will stand by them.”

Associated Press video journalist Piyush Nagpal contributed to this report.

India's opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, center, with his hands tied, participates in a sit-in protest with his sister and lawmaker Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, center right, outside the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Shekhar Yadav)

Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party scuffle with police as they attempt to march toward India's Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vipin)

Security officers stand guard at the camping site of the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Shekhar Yadav)

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, sits by a portrait of hunger-striking activist Sonam Wangchuk during a protest in New Delhi, Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Shekhar Yadav)

A supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party holds posters of Bhagat Singh, an Indian revolutionary freedom fighter, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Shekhar Yadav)

Supporters gather at the camping site of the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Shekhar Yadav)