Yuli Gurriel is making a smashing impression in theLone Star State…
This week, the 35-year-old Cuban professional baseball player, a first baseman for the Houston Astros, drove in a team-record-tying eight runs as his team routed the Colorado Rockies 14-3 for their sixth victory in a row.
“It’s really incredible with this team, and I feel a big responsibility to drive runners in when they are on base,” Gurriel said in Spanish through an interpreter. “To be in that spot, I’m always focused and concentrating to get those runners in.”
A day after homering twice with three RBIs, Gurriel again teed off for the American League Westleaders. He hit a three-run homer in the first inning, a sacrifice fly in the third, a three-run double in the fourth and an RBI grounder in the sixth to give him the most RBIs since he knocked in eight twice while playing in Cuba.
Gurriel tied Houston’s RBI record set by J.R. Towles in 2007 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Gurriel, who leads the Astros with 80 RBIs, surpassed the seven RBIs he had last season against the Los Angeles Angels and tied the major league record for most RBIs by a player born in Cuba. It’s his 11th game this season with at least three RBIs, and he joins Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell as the only Astros to have two games with at least seven runs knocked in.
“You get that feel every time he comes up that something positive is going to happen,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s locked in on pitch recognition and staying in on the at-bat. His production has been through the roof the last six weeks.”
