HOUSTON — Daniel Mengden got a rude welcome in his return home.
Pitching in front of several friends and family members in his second career start at Minute Maid Park, the Houston native was lit up by the Astros for five runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout as he lasted just 2 1/3 innings in Saturday’s 11-0 loss. Mengden fell to 2-3 with his ERA now at 4.68 after what was his worst outing of the season.
Mengden found himself in trouble early. Allowing the first three batters he faced to reach base, a pair of sacrifice flies gave the Astros two quick runs before Alex Bregman’s booming two-run double off the wall in right that put the Astros (18-10) ahead 4-0.