Rasmus, McCullers power Astros past Yanks

HOUSTON — Astros outfielder Colby Rasmus snapped an 0-for-29 slump at an opportune time.

Rasmus, whose seven-game hitless streak tied his career high, cranked a two-run home run in the third inning Wednesday night off Masahiro Tanaka to back a strong start from Lance McCullers Jr. and send the Astros to a 4-1 win over the Yankees at Minute Maid Park.

McCullers (6-4) allowed one run — on a leadoff homer by Yankees catcher Brian McCann in the fourth — and five hits and struck out 10 batters in six innings, marking his second consecutive 10-strikeout game and fourth this season.

An RBI single by Carlos Gomez — who later exited with a strained right hamstring — put the Astros ahead 1-0, and Rasmus’ 12th homer capped a three-run third and put Houston up, 4-0. The Yankees had won seven consecutive games started by Tanaka, who gave up four runs and and seven hits in five innings to suffer his first loss since June 11.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDColby Jack’s back: Rasmus walloped his first homer since July 2 when he turned on a 2-1 pitch from Tanaka and put it in the right-field seats to give the Astros a 4-0 lead in the third. He entered …

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