Jose Altuve passes Jeff Bagwell on the all-time hits list as the Astros beat the Rockies 5-3 on July 3, 2025, securing their 12th straight series win.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Another day, another win, and another legendary moment for Jose Altuve. On a night when the Astros clinched their 12th consecutive series win by downing the Rockies 5-3, the spotlight rightfully belonged to number 27. With a clutch go-ahead single in the sixth, Altuve didn't just win the game; he etched his name further into Houston lore, passing Jeff Bagwell for second place on the franchise's all-time hits list. It was a moment of pure celebration for a team that's firing on all cylinders, but the victory came with a bitter taste as the injury report grew alarmingly long.
With 2,315 career hits, Jose Altuve has officially surpassed Jeff Bagwell for second place on the Houston Astros' all-time list.
It was a classic Altuve moment. Bases loaded, game tied in the sixth, and the Astros legend delivered a sharp single to drive in two, giving Houston a lead they wouldn't relinquish. That hit, his 2,315th, pushed him past Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, a monumental achievement that puts him behind only Craig Biggio. While Altuve provided the historic heroics, he had help. Cam Smith had a fantastic night with three hits and two RBIs, and rookie Shay Whitcomb provided the early fireworks with a memorable blast. It's this kind of total team effort that has fueled the Astros' run of 16 wins in their last 21 games.
While Altuve was rewriting the offensive record books, Hunter Brown was busy making his own mark on the mound. The powerful righty was dealing in the thin Denver air, racking up eight strikeouts over six solid innings to improve to 9-3 on the season. Along the way, he fanned Hunter Goodman in the third to record his 500th career strikeout. In just his 86th appearance, he joins Lance McCullers Jr. as the only Astros to reach that milestone so quickly. Brown's emergence as a reliable, top-of-the-rotation arm has been a critical factor in the team's recent dominance.
The joy of the win was tempered by a flood of bad news from the training room. The team placed reliever Shawn Dubin, who has been lights out with a 1.33 ERA, on the 15-day IL with a forearm strain, a massive blow to the bullpen. Worse yet, Yordan Alvarez's rehab from a hand fracture has been shut down due to soreness, landing him on the 60-day IL. This is a significant setback for the slugger's return. Add in infielder Luis Guillorme hitting the 10-day IL with a hamstring strain, and the Astros' depth is being tested like never before. With Jeremy Peña still out, the team is patching holes on the fly.
Amidst the milestones and injury reports, rookie Shay Whitcomb gave fans a glimpse of the future. In the second inning, he absolutely crushed his first career MLB home run, a 451-foot moonshot that soared into the Denver sky. The two-run homer gave the Astros an early 2-0 lead and announced his arrival in a big way. It was a fantastic moment for the young infielder, who is getting his chance to contribute with all the injuries piling up.
The Astros are proving they are one of the most resilient teams in baseball, finding ways to win series after series despite a MASH unit's worth of injuries. Altuve's historic climb and Brown's continued excellence are powering this incredible run. But as the All-Star break approaches, the question looms large: how long can they sustain this 'next man up' mentality? The front office may need to get creative as the team navigates its toughest stretch of adversity yet. For now, let's celebrate a historic night and another hard-fought series win.
