Arizona Diamondbacks vs Houston Astros Box Score on Sep 18, 2021

Daulton Varsho slugged a two-run home run in the 10th inning and the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks squared their interleague series with the Houston Astros with a 6-4 win Saturday.

Varsho's blast followed an RBI single by Kole Calhoun that snapped a 3-3 tie. Varsho's 11th home run, a two-run shot off Astros right-hander Yimi Garcia (3-9), carried 431 feet to center field.

Tyler Clippard allowed an RBI single to Jason Castro in the bottom of the 10th but Arizona improved to 6-10 in extra-inning games by winning on the road for just the 20th time in 2021.

Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez slugged his team-leading 31st home run in the first inning, a 453-foot blast to straightaway center field that scored Alex Bregman and gave the Astros a 2-0 lead.

But Diamondbacks right-hander Humberto Castellanos settled down soon thereafter.

Castellanos kept the Astros in check until the sixth inning when Yuli Gurriel and Kyle Tucker reached to open the frame. Carlos Correa pulled the Astros even at 3-3 with his sacrifice fly off Brandyn Sittinger, a run that was charged to Castellanos, who allowed three runs on eight hits.

A promising start for Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. unraveled a bit in the fourth.

McCullers needed just nine pitches to retire the Diamondbacks in order in the top of the first inning and struck out the side on just 10 pitches in the third. But Arizona forged a 3-2 lead in the fourth by taking advantage of McCullers' lack of command.

David Peralta doubled on a 3-1 pitch and scored when Varsho reached on a fielding error by Gurriel at first base.

Christian Walker plated Varsho with a double to right on a 3-1 count and scored when Pavin Smith delivered an RBI single that put Arizona ahead.

McCullers needed the help of his defense to keep the deficit at one run in the sixth. He walked Josh VanMeter with two outs and then surrendered a double to Jake McCarthy that ricocheted off the scoreboard in left field. Astros center fielder Chas McCormick recorded the ball, fired a strike to Correa, who in turn threw home to nab VanMeter for the final out of the frame.

McCullers allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in six innings.

--Field Level Media