The Astros moved one-half game ahead of the Mariners atop the American League West standings, with Seattle playing the Angels later Saturday. Houston stayed two games ahead of the third-place Rangers, who have won 16 of their last 20 games.
A two-run double by Jeremy Peña in the second put the Astros ahead, 3-0, and Christian Walker hit a two-run homer to center in the third to make it 6-0. The homer traveled a Statcast-projected 431 feet for Walker’s 23rd of the season.
Brown (12-7) retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced before giving up a long homer to Matt Olson in the fourth inning. He was pulled after a two-out walk in the seventh and was charged with a second run on a single to Ha-Seong Kim off reliever Enyel De Los Santos. Brown gave up four hits and struck out only two — his fewest of the season.
