Rave and Massey homer as Royals beat Astros 5-2, dropping Houston into first-place tie with Texas

HOUSTON (AP) — John Rave hit a two-run homer, Michael Massey added a solo shot and the Kansas City Royals beat Houston 5-2 on Wednesday night, dropping the Astros into a first-place tie with the Texas Rangers in the AL West.

The Astros own the tiebreaker over the Rangers with both teams at 76-76, but this is the first time since Aug. 24 that Houston has not been alone in first place. Whichever team doesn't win the division could still make the playoffs as a wild card.

Rave’s sixth homer came in the fourth inning off Astros starter Cristian Javier (2-6).

Massey led off a three-run eighth inning with his 12th homer of the season and third hit of the night. After the Royals scored another run on a throwing error by right fielder Jorge Barrosa, Carter Jensen capped the frame with an RBI double.

Daniel Lynch IV (6-5) allowed two hits and struck out three in five scoreless innings. Craig Kimbrel worked around a one-out single to complete a scoreless sixth.

Nolan Hoffman allowed singles to two of the three batters he faced in the seventh inning, but Anthony Gose ended the threat by striking out pinch-hitter Nelson Velazquez and getting Daulton Varsho to fly out.

Jeremy Peña was 3 for 4 with a double, his second consecutive three-hit game for Houston. Yainer Diaz homered in the ninth inning.

Javier allowed two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings for Houston.

RHP Seth Lugo (7-8, 4.99 ERA) will start for the Royals when the series concludes on Thursday. RHP Miguel Ullola (0-0, 3.38) will start for the Astros as an opener.

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Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz celebrates after hitting a home run against the Kansas City Royals during the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey (19) and John Rave (16) celebrate after a baseball game against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Kansas City Royals' Carter Jensen hits a two-run double against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Kansas City Royals' Isaac Collins (1) scores as Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz reaches to tag him during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Kansas City Royals' John Rave celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

DENVER (AP) — Ethan Salas hit his first two major league homers and became the youngest catcher in history with a multi-homer game Wednesday night as the San Diego Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 9-3.

Salas led off the second inning with a first-pitch shot off Rockies starter Mason Adams (0-1) that went 426 feet over the wall in center field, becoming the youngest catcher to homer in the majors since 19-year-old Iván Rodríguez in 1991.

Salas added a two-run homer that capped San Diego’s four-run fifth and made it 8-1. At 20 years, 107 days, he broke the record held by Butch Wynegar, who was 20 years, 192 days when he hit two home runs for Minnesota on Sept. 22, 1976.

San Diego (83-69) has won nine of 10 and entered the night with a 2 1/2-game lead over Arizona for the final NL wild-card spot. The Padres also prevented the rival Los Angeles Dodgers from clinching the NL West.

Robbie Ray (13-8) allowed three runs and three hits with six strikeouts in six innings for the Padres.

Samad Taylor and Ty France each drove in two runs for San Diego and Jackson Merrill had three hits.

France hit a sacrifice fly that drove in Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jake Cronenworth added an RBI single to give the Padres a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Kyle Karros hit a two-run homer in the sixth for the Rockies and Adael Amador had an RBI groundout in the first.

Taylor singled to lead off the fourth, stole second base and scored on a triple by Dustin Harris to make it 4-1 and added a two-run single in the fifth.

Adams allowed six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Padres RHP Michael King (11-9, 3.03 ERA) starts Thursday against RHP Tanner Gordon (1-4, 5.55) in the series finale.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

San Diego Padres' Samad Taylor breaks from the batter's box after connecting for a single to drive in two runs off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Nick Frasso in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros throws to first base to put out San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Diego Padres' Dustin Harris breaks from the batter's box after connecting for an RBI triple off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Mason Adams in the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Diego Padres' Ethan Salas gestures to the bullpen as he circles the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Nick Frasso in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)wld

San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas watches his two-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Nick Frasso in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)