Díaz the catalyst in Astros' 10-run barrage

KANSAS CITY -- Even with all the prime headliners at their disposal, the Astros are equally proud of the utility man who can augment depth and strengthen the team virtually all over the field. Aledmys Díaz is that versatile guy, and he proved it again on Friday at Kauffman Stadium.

Alex Bregman got the night off, and Díaz found his name in the lineup, playing third base and batting fifth. Díaz made the most of the opportunity by showcasing himself as the tone-setter in the Astros’ 10-3 victory over the Royals.

Díaz finished with three hits and had three early runs batted in against Royals right-hander Brady Singer, who came in with a 1.37 ERA over his previous three starts. Díaz, hitting just .187 against right-handers this year, drilled a two-run homer to left-center field in the second and tacked on an opposite-field RBI single in the fourth, staking the Astros to a 3-0 lead.

In the fifth, Díaz also made a nifty defensive play with the Astros in the shift against left-handed-hitting Kyle Isbel. On a bouncer up the middle, Díaz made a sliding stop and turned full circle before unleashing a one-hop throw to nab Isbel at first.

Houston went on to win in blowout fashion, but it was Díaz who pushed the Astros firmly in the right direction.

“It’s always great when I have a chance to be in the lineup and can contribute to the team,” Díaz said. “I know the role I have on this team.”

Asked which at-bat gave him the most satisfaction -- the homer to left-center or the single to right-center on a tough pitch -- Díaz said the plate appearances were equally gratifying.

“Both,” Díaz replied. “A homer is always great, but I put a good swing on that single, too.”

Manager Dusty Baker certainly appreciates the flexibility that Díaz provides for an Astros ballclub that has ample answers if there is an injury or a starter needs a day of rest.

“It’s good when you can give one guy a day off and another guy a day of playing, and he comes through,” Baker said. “[Díaz] had a great game.”

After Díaz staked the club to a 3-0 lead, the Astros broke it open with a four-run fifth inning. A pair of two-run homers by Yordan Alvarez and Martín Maldonado provided ample breathing room for starter José Urquidy.

The Astros were up 10-0 before Urquidy ran into some trouble in the sixth when he surrendered a three-run homer to Royals rookie Bobby Witt Jr. But that was just a blip on the screen for Urquidy, who finished his night going six innings with six strikeouts.

It was also a bounce-back performance for the right-hander, who was coming off a 4 2/3-inning outing in which he yielded six runs (five earned) on 12 hits in a loss to the Mariners.

The Astros have won five in a row to improve to 34-18 overall and 20-12 on the road, becoming the first team to reach 20 road wins in the Majors this season.