Rockies score 8 runs in the fifth inning and beat the Astros 9-7

Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield, right, cheers next to third base coach Andy González, left, after hitting a two-run triple in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)

DENVER (AP) — Troy Johnston hit a solo homer, a double and a single and the Colorado Rockies rode an eight-run fifth inning to a 9-7 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night.

Edouard Julien, TJ Rumfield, and Willi Castro also had multi-hit games as the Rockies banged out 12 hits.

Julien had a two-run single in the fifth inning that started the eight-run outburst. Rumfield had a two-run triple — the first triple of his career — during the scoring outburst. He has reached base safely in all but one game since making his big league debut on March 27.

Johnston added an insurance run with a 407-foot homer in the sixth.

Ryan Feltner (1-0) allowed seven hits and four earned runs while striking out one in 5 1/3 innings for the win. Juan Mejia earned his first save of the season after a hitless 1 2/3 innings to finish the game.

Astros starter Cody Bolton and Ryan Weiss (0-1) combined to allow 11 hits and eight runs.

Carlos Correa had an RBI double and Christian Walker knocked him in with a single in the first, giving the Astros an early lead. Cam Smith added a 462-foot solo homer in the fourth.

The Astros chipped away in the seventh and eighth innings with RBIs from Jose Altuve, Joey Loperfido, and Yainer Diaz, but their comeback try fell short.

Up next

Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (0-1, 2.89) faces Astros RHP Mike Burrows (1-1, 5.91) in the second game of the series on Tuesday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Colorado Rockies' Troy Johnston smiles while rounding the bases after hitting a one-run home run off of Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Weiss in the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, April 6, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Colorado Rockies' Willi Castro claps after hitting an RBI-single in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Colorado Rockies' Willi Castro (3) and Brenton Doyle (9) high-five in the dugout after scoring on a two-run single by teammate Edouard Julien in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Colorado Rockies' Troy Johnston shrugs toward his team's dugout after hitting an RBI double in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)