Jose Altuve homers, Nick Allen drives in 3 as the Astros beat the Nationals 6-3

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Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

Washington Nationals pitcher Andrew Alvarez throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams) — Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

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9:05 PM on Tuesday, July 7

By PATRICK STEVENS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jose Altuve homered, Nick Allen drove in a season-high three runs and the Houston Astros beat the Washington Nationals 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Christian Vázquez drove in two for Houston, which has won three of four.

James Wood hit his 25th home run for Washington, which lost for the third time in four games. The Nationals left 11 men on base and were 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

Houston trailed 2-1 before a three-run fourth inning against Andrew Alvarez. After the Astros loaded the bases with one out, Allen slapped a two-run single to left. After Brice Matthews and Allen executed a double steal, Matthews scored on Vázquez’s sacrifice fly.

Vázquez chased Alvarez (2-2) with an RBI single in the sixth. Alvarez allowed five runs on four hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Altuve homered with two outs in the eighth into the visitor’s bullpen, where teammate Bryan Abreu caught it between warmup pitches. It was Altuve’s 10th homer of the year, and his second in two nights.

Nationals pinch hitter José Tena homered in the ninth against Alimber Santa. Wood singled, and after Santa struck out Andrés Chaparro, the Astros summoned closer Josh Hader. Curtis Mead’s single and CJ Abrams’ walk loaded the bases, but Hader struck out pinch hitter Dylan Crews to earn his 10th save.

Steven Okert (2-1) struck out three in 1 1/3 innings for Houston.

Wood drove Tatsuya Imai’s slider to right-center for his major league-best eighth leadoff homer of the season. Wood is the first Nationals player with consecutive 25-homer seasons since Bryce Harper in 2017-18.

Allen’s sacrifice fly tied it in the second. Washington reclaimed the lead on Abrams’ sacrifice fly in the third.

Imai allowed two runs and struck out three in 3 2/3 innings.

Up next

Houston RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-4, 3.81 ERA) faces Washington LHP Foster Griffin (9-2, 2.87) as the three-game series concludes Wednesday.

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