Alvarez and Singleton hit long homers in the 1st inning to help Astros avoid being swept by Yankees

NEW YORK (AP) — Yordan Alvarez and Jon Singleton each hit long homers in the first inning for the Houston Astros, who beat the New York Yankees 4-3 on Thursday night to avoid being swept in the season series.

Alvarez, who was 3 for 32 with no homers in his previous nine games entering Thursday, hit a two-out solo shot off Marcus Stroman (2-2) into the second deck in right field measured at 116.8 mph.

“When he hit it, he looked in the dugout (as if he was) saying ‘Hey, I’m coming,’” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “And we know he’s coming and we can’t wait for him to get here.”

Alvarez helped lead the celebration in the dugout two batters later, when Singleton hit a two-run homer off the facade along the third deck in right field clocked at 115.4 mph. It was only the ninth time in Stroman’s career he surrendered two homers in an inning.