Jose Altuve hit a two-out, two-run two-out single to spark a fourth inning rally as the Astros put the contest out of reach scoring five runs in the frame.
Brian McCann and Alex Bregman hit back-to-back homers in the second off Phillies starter and former Astros righty Vince Velasquez to give Houston a 3-1 advantage before the skies opened in the top of the fourth. Bregman finished the night 3-for-5, with three runs and three RBIs.
"They hammer mistakes," Velasquez said. "McCann hit that fastball over the middle. I can't leave it over the middle like that. It cut right over the middle, right into his barrel. Bregman is just a great, great hitter. Just what he's done, coming up in the league, he's been phenomenal. Hitting the ball where it's placed. It just carried out to right."
Following a delay of nearly two-hours the Astros bats remained hot, clubbing reliever Ricardo Pinto for five more runs to push their lead to 8-1. Houston finished with 18 hits, marking the 11th time this season it's had 15 or more.
"This team is hot," Velasquez said. "They're in first place for a reason. They're very selective. A lot of missed pitches inside, away, they poked it down the line. These guys are in the zone. They're locked in."
The two teams resume their three-game set on Tuesday as Nick Pivetta is slatted to face veteran Charlie Morton.
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