Walker, Smith, Varsho homers power Astros to 6-5 win over the Phillies

By: The Associated Press Posted: 8:57 PM CDT Tuesday, Sep. 8, 2026

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Christian Walker, Cam Smith and Daulton Varsho homered and led the Houston Astros to a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Christian Walker, Cam Smith and Daulton Varsho homered and led the Houston Astros to a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Christian Walker, Cam Smith and Daulton Varsho homered and led the Houston Astros to a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.

The Astros built a 5-0 lead, but closer Josh Hader had to get three outs with the tying run in scoring position in the ninth, including retiring Kyle Schwarber to end the game.

The Astros began the three-game series with a two-game lead on Texas atop the AL West. The Phillies started play a half-game up on the Chicago Cubs for the first wild-card spot in the National League and four behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

Houston Astros' Cam Smith follows through after hitting a home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Walker hit a three-run home run in the second inning off Phillies starter Andrew Painter (3-9). It was Walker’s 25th of the season, his sixth career 25-homer season and fifth in a row.

Smith hit his 18th homer of the season in the fourth. Varsho tacked on his 11th home run in the seventh. Both were solo shots.

That was enough support for Hayden Wesneski (5-1). He pitched six innings, allowing five hits and three runs. He didn’t give up a run until the sixth, extending a streak of 12 straight scoreless innings.

Yordan Alvaraez, who entered the game leading the AL in batting average and tied for the lead in home runs and RBIs, went 0 for 5.

Jose Altuve, who has 2,499 career hits, also went 0 for 5.

Painter went five innings, allowing 10 hits and five earned runs. The 23-year-old rookie had carried a 3.12 ERA through his last 40.1 innings in seven starts since being recalled from Triple-A on July 31.

The Phillies finally got to Wesneski in the sixth. Justin Crawford doubled, Schwarber singled him home and Trea Turner hit his 18th home run of the year to make it 5-3. Brandon Marsh hit an RBI double in the seventh inning.

Bryson Stott led off the ninth with a single and scored on Edmundo Sosa’s double off the wall to make it 6-5, the first run surrendered by Hader since July 20 to snap a streak of 21 consecutive scoreless outings. But Hader recorded his 24th save in 24 opportunities with three straight outs.

Up next

Houston’s Hunter Brown (5-3, 3.31 ERA) will face the Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez (16-5, 2.58) on Wednesday night.

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