HOUSTON (AP) — Hunter Brown allowed only a run in 6 2/3 innings for his 10th victory, Jeremy Peña and Yainer Diaz homered and the Houston Astros beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Wednesday night.

Brown (10-5) allowed six hits and three walks and held Boston to 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. The Astros moved a game ahead of Seattle for the AL West lead. The Mariners fell 4-3 in Baltimore.

Peña started a two-run first with his his fifth leadoff homer of the season on Walker Buehler’s fifth pitch. Diaz added a two-out RBI single and, with the Astros up 2-1 with two out in the sixth, he sent an 0-1 sweeper from Buehler (7-7) 415 to left-center for his 17th homer.

Boston had the tying run at third base with two outs in the sixth. With Romy Gonzalez at the plate, Red Sox manager Alex Cora stood outside the dugout demanding Brown be called for a balk. A meeting between the four umpires ensued, but no balk was called. Cora was ejected for the fifth time in 2025 during a pitching change an inning later.

Bennett Sousa took over for Brown in the seventh, pitching 1 1/3 innings. Bryan Abreu worked the ninth for his first save.

Key moment

Diaz’s two-out, two-run homer in the sixth gave Houston a three-run lead.

Key stat

Diaz is batting .321 with four home runs and 13 RBIs in his last 13 games.

Up next

The Red Sox open a three-game home series against Miami on Friday night, with RHP Lucas Giolito (8-2 3.77 ERA) slated to start. The Astros open a three-game home series against Baltimore on Friday night, with LHP Framber Valdez (11-5 2.97) set to start.

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