Altuve passes Kent for Astros homer mark at 2B

KANSAS CITY -- Step aside Jeff Kent. The Astros’ record for most homers by a second baseman now belongs exclusively to Jose Altuve.

Altuve’s first-inning solo blast over the wall in left-center off Royals left-hander Danny Duffy gave him 28 homers on the season and Houston went on to a 4-1 win in the series opener on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium. Kent previously held the record with 27 homers in 2004.

"When you get mentioned with some of the Astros' greats and guys who have had big seasons, we tip our cap," manager AJ Hinch said. "For those who have been around Jose, it's not a great surprise. We continue to watch with amazement what he's able to do on the field."

Altuve, who finished 2-for-5 for the game, came into the series hitting .368 over his 10 previous games at Kauffman Stadium since 2016.