NEW YORK — Venezuelan second baseman José Altuve hit the 250th home run of his career in the Major Leagues, joining a select group of only 11 players who have reached that figure while playing at least half of their games at second base.
The hit came in the first inning against the left-hander Max Fried, silencing the boos of Yankee Stadium with a solid hit to left field. The home run opened the scoring and paved the way for the Houston Astros’ 7-1 victory over the Yankees, successfully closing a nine-game road trip.
Altuve, 35 years old, joins legends like Rogers Hornsby, Joe Morgan, Joe Gordon, and Ryne Sandberg on the historical list. In addition, the veteran maintains a particular dominance against New York, with 19 home runs against the Yankees in his career, including memorable postseason performances.
“Starting with a swing like that is a tremendous boost for everyone,” said rookie Cam Smith. For his part, manager Joe Espada praised Altuve’s ability to respond in key moments: “It’s incredible what he does and how often he does it, and in the most important moments.”
With the victory, Houston improves its record to 66-52 and remains the leader of the American League West Division.
The hit came in the first inning against the left-hander Max Fried, silencing the boos of Yankee Stadium with a solid hit to left field. The home run opened the scoring and paved the way for the Houston Astros’ 7-1 victory over the Yankees, successfully closing a nine-game road trip.
