Jose Altuve scores for the cycle as the Astros defeat the Red Sox 13-5

BOSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve ended the first cycle of his career with a two-run home run over the Green Monsters in the eighth inning, and the Houston Astros rolled 13-5 past the Boston Red Sox Monday night.

Altuve struck with a swing to put the game ahead, then doubled in the third, hit a single in the fifth and tripled in the sixth. His home run made him the first Astros player to hit in that round since Brandon Barnes against Seattle on July 19, 2013.

Altuve went 4-for-6, his third four-goal game of the season and the 37th of his career.

Yordan Alvarez added a three-run home run in the sixth inning and José Abreu hit a solo home run for the Astros, who won their third straight run.

Kendall Graveman (4-6) threw a scoreless fifth inning for Houston, who hit 18 on Monday after performing 25 in Sunday’s win in Detroit.

Chris Sale (5-4) lasted 4 2/3 innings and had three runs and seven hits, including a home run.

Houston starter Cristian Javier was tailed in the fifth, shortly after giving up a tremendous two-run home run against Boston’s Adam Duvall, which cleared the Green Monster seats and gave the Red Sox a 4-3 lead.

Boston’s momentum was short-lived.

Red Sox reserve Kyle Barraclough ran back-to-back batters to open game six. With an out, Altuve hit a deep flyball that bounced off the monster in the middle, scoring two goals and allowing Altuve a three-pointer.

Barraclough hit Alex Bregman with the next pitch. Alvarez then emptied bases and hit his 22nd home run of the season into the Red Sox’s bullpen in right field to extend the lead to 8-4. After two walks and another hit batter, Yanier Diaz hit an RBI single.

Barraclough threw 94 pitches in 4 1/3 innings, allowing for 10 runs, 11 hits, five walks and three homers. He hit three batters.

The Red Sox were 3 of 12, with runners in points position leaving 13 men on base.

TRAINING ROOM

Red Sox: INF/OF Pablo Reyes has been put on the 10-day injured list with an elbow infection. … OF Wilyer Abreu was placed on the paternity list.

Astros: Manager Dusty Baker said outfielder Michael Brantley could make his season debut in the next two days. Brantley had surgery on his right shoulder a year ago. He recently completed a productive seven-game rehab stint at Triple-A Sugar Land and flew to Boston on Monday to join the team.

SET START

Highly touted Red Sox contender Ceddanne Rafaela made his major league debut and was picked up in midfield in the eighth inning after being called up by Triple-A Worcester. He is expected to get his first big league start on Tuesday.

Rafaela said manager Alex Cora told him about the start shortly after he arrived in Boston on Monday. The 22-year-old infielder/outfielder was named the Red Sox’s Minor League Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022 and has a .312 in 108 games with Double-A Portland with 20 home runs, 79 RBIs and 36 stolen bases (60 games ) and Worcester (48 games).

NEXT

Astros: RHP JP France (9-5, 3.51 ERA) will make his second career start against Boston. The first didn’t go well: he lasted 2 1/3 innings and allowed 10 runs and 11 hits in Houston’s 17-1 loss last week.

Red Sox: RHP Brayan Bello (10-7, 3.56) picked up his tenth win as a team leader in Houston last week, enabling a run in seven innings.