Astros' Yordan Alvarez hits three homers in record-breaking 23-2 rout at Camden Yards

Houston hung 23 runs on the O's on Saturday night

By Mike Axisa

Aug 11, 2019 at 11:00 am ET • 1 min read

In time, the Baltimore Orioles would like to become the well-oiled machine that is the Houston Astros. On Saturday though, the gap between the two franchises could not have been more stark. The Astros, led by rookie slugger Yordan Alvarez, became the first team to score 20 runs in a game this season during their 23-2 rout at Camden Yards (box score).

Houston hit six home runs total and scored at least one run in every inning except the fourth and eighth.

Here are Alvarez's three home runs:

Reds outfielder Aristides Aquino smashed three home runs Saturday as well. Aquino and Alvarez are the first set of rookies with a three-homer game on the same day in MLB history.

Furthermore, Alvarez is the first Astro with a three-homer game since Jose Altuve in Game 1 of the 2017 ALDS. He's the first Astro with a three-homer game in the regular season since Carlos Lee back in 2007.

In addition to Alvarez's three homers, Carlos Correa hit a home run that cleared both bullpens and landed on the concourse beyond left-center field. At 474 feet, it is the longest homer hit at Camden Yards since StatCast launched in 2015.

The 23 runs are the most scored by any team since the Mets beat the Phillies 24-4 last August. Saturday was the second time the Astros scored at least 20 games in a game in a franchise history. They beat the Diamondbacks 21-5 on October 2, 2015.

Among other things, the Astros set the following single-game franchise records Saturday night:

23 runs (previous record: 21 vs. D-Backs on October 2, 2015)
25 hits (previous record: 22 vs. Mariners on April 4, 2009)
13 extra-base hits (previous record: 11 vs. Cubs on September 9, 2009 and vs. Cardinals on July 18, 2001)

As for the Orioles, Saturday night was the fourth time in franchise history they allowed at least 20 runs in a game, and the first time since the infamous 30-3 game against the Rangers in 2007. The O's are on pace to allow more than 330 home runs this year, which would shatter the current record (2016 Reds with 258).

Saturday's win was Houston's eighth straight and their 18th in their last 21 games. They have baseball's best record at 77-40. The Orioles, meanwhile, dropped to 38-78. They are on pace to lose 109 games.