Astros move above .500 for 1st time this year, beat Mets 10-5 in 11 innings for 9th win in 10 games

NEW YORK (AP) — The Houston Astros moved over .500 for the first time this season, beating the New York Mets 10-5 on Sunday for their ninth win in 10 games as Jake Myers hit a tiebreaking single in a five-run 11th inning.

Houston star Jose Altuve was ejected in the seventh after he threw his bat and helmet when umpires called him out on what appeared to be a foul ball.

Brandon Nimmo hit his 100th career homer for the Mets, a tying two-run drive in the seventh off Bryan Abreu.

With just a few thousand fans left at Citi Field after a 2-hour, 47-minute rain delay in the middle of the ninth, Chas McCormick put the Astros ahead 5-4 with an RBI single in the 10th off Adam Ottavino.

Nimmo responded with a tying double starting the bottom half against Tayler Scott (4-2), who stranded the potential winning run at third when Mark Vientos grounded out.

Matt Festa (0-1), a New York native from St. Joseph by the Sea High School in Staten Island, made his Mets debut and first big league appearance this season and gave up all five runs in bottom half. Myers hit a run-scoring single, Joey Loperfido followed with a two-run single and Trey Cabbage added a two-run double.

Houston (42-41) opened the season 7-19 and was 12-24 before play on May 9. The Astros took two of three from the Mets and finished 17-8 in June.

The Mets reached the halfway point at 40-41, rebounding after they dropped to 24-35 in early June. They have been outscored 29-9 in extra innings this season, going 3-8 in those games

The Astros had a 4-2 lead and runners on second and third with two outs in the seventh when Altuve appeared to foul a ball off his left foot. The ball went on three hops to Vientos at third, and he threw to first as Altuve remained around the batter’s box, hopping. James Jean, umpiring behind the plate for the first time after making his major league debut Friday, didn’t signal a foul ball.

Altuve argued and manager Joe Espada came onto the field. The four umpires conferenced — that type of call is not subject to a video review — and crew chief Alan Porter signaled the out call. Altuve then slammed his helmet and bat was ejected for the second time in his big league career, the first since Aug. 6, 2016, when he was tossed for arguing balls and strikes with Porter.

Mets starter Luis Severino allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings. Houston’s Shawn Dubin, starting a bullpen game, pitched 3 1/3 hitless innings with three walks.

Jon Singleton put Houston ahead in the second with his sixth home run of the season and first since May 21. Yainer Diaz hit an RBI single in a two-run fifth that included Meyers’ run-scoring groundout, and Altuve blooped an RBI single in the sixth for a 4-0 lead.

Held hitless for five innings, the Mets cut the gap in the sixth against Seth Martinez on Vientos’ two-out, two-run double over leaping third baseman Alex Bregman.

Nimmo tied the score in the seventh with his 13th home run this season, a two-run drive off Bryan Abreu.

New York optioned right-hander Tylor Megill and left-hander Danny Young to Triple-A Syracuse, and selected the contracts of lefty Tyler Jay and Festa from its top farm team. Outfielder Duke Ellis was designated for assignment and lefty Brooks Raley (elbow inflammation) was transferred to the 60-day IL.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: RHP Jake Bloss (right shoulder discomfort) threw a 20-pitch bullpen.

Mets: RHP Edwin Díaz pitched batting practice against players from the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones. Barring rainouts, he can return July 6 from his 10-day suspension for using prohibited grip substances.

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Hunter Brown (5-5, 4.37 ERA) starts Monday’s series opener at Toronto, which is going with RHP Yariel Rodriguez (0-2, 5.94 ERA).

Mets: LHP David Peterson (3-0, 3.67 ERA) will be on the mound Monday night for the Mets at Washington, and the Nationals are going with LHP MacKenzie Gore (6-7, 3.60 ERA).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Luis Torrens reacts after grounding out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Citi Field is reflected in the sunglasses of New York Mets' DJ Stewart who runs to the dugout after grounding out during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz looks on from second base as teammate Jon Singleton bats during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) celebrates after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Adrian Houser pitches as a storm begins during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Houston Astros outfielder Jake Meyers catches a ball hit by New York Mets' Francisco Lindor during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Houston Astros outfielder Jake Meyers stands on the field during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve, second from right, argues on the field before being ejected by umpire James Jean during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

Houston Astros' Jake Meyers, left, and Chas McCormick, right celebrate after Meyers scored during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Authorities say massive overcrowding, insufficient exits, and other factors contributed to a deadly stampede at a religious festival in Northern India that killed at least 121 people.

Five more people died on Wednesday morning, local official Manish Chaudhry said, and 28 were still being treated in hospital.

The stampede happened on Tuesday afternoon in a village in Hathras district in Uttar Pradesh state, as large crowds rushed to exit a makeshift tent. It was not immediately clear what sparked the panic.

Authorities are investigating what happened and have launched a search for a Hindu guru known locally as Bhole Baba, as well as other organizers.

Deadly stampedes are relatively common at Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas with shoddy infrastructure and few safety measures.

Overcrowding, poor planning and bad weather were among factors noted as contributing to the disaster.

Some quarter of a million people turned up for an event that was permitted to accomodate 80,000, held in a tent set up in a muddy field. It's not clear how many made it inside the tent.

Utter Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told reporters that a crowd of devotees surged towards the preacher to touch him as he was descending from the stage, causing chaos as volunteers struggled to intervene.

An initial report from the police suggests at this point thousands of people thronged toward the exit, where many slipped on the muddy ground, causing them to fall and be crushed by the crowds. A witness said other people fell into flooded ditches, causing more deaths. Most of the dead were women.

The preacher’s Sri Jagar Guru Baba organization had spent more than two weeks preparing for the event.

Devotees from across the state, which with over 200 million people is India's most populous, traveled to the village, with rows of parked vehicles stretching three kilometers.

Experts said the event violated safety norms. “The function was held in a makeshift tent without ensuring multiple exit routes. Typically, there should be eight to 10 well-marked exits opening into open areas,” said Sanjay Srivastava, a disaster management expert.

Instead, officials said it appeared there was only one small exit in the tent.

On Tuesday, hundreds of relatives had gathered at local hospitals, wailing in distress at the sight of the dead, placed on stretchers and covered in white sheets on the grounds outside. Buses and trucks also carried dozens of victims into morgues.

Sonu Kumar was one of many local residents who helped lift and move dead bodies after the accident. He criticized the preacher: “He sat in his car and left. And his devotees here fell one upon another and some were in the water.”

“The screams were so heart-wrenching. We have never seen anything like this before in our village,” Kumar added.

Binod Sokhna, who lost his mother, daughter and wife, wept as he walked out of a morgue on Wednesday.

“My son called me and said papa, mother is no more. Come here immediately. My wife is no more," he said, crying.

In 2013, pilgrims visiting a temple for a popular Hindu festival in central Madhya Pradesh state trampled each other amid fears that a bridge would collapse. At least 115 were crushed to death or died in the river.

In 2011, more than 100 Hindu devotees died in a crush at a religious festival in the southern state of Kerala.

Relatives and volunteers carry the bodies on stretchers at the Sikandrarao hospital in Hathras district about 350 kilometers (217 miles) southwest of Lucknow, India, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo/Manoj Aligadi)

Relatives mourn next to the bodies of their relatives outside the Sikandrarao hospital in Hathras district about 350 kilometers (217 miles) southwest of Lucknow, India, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering in India rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo)

Women mourn next to the body of a relative outside the Sikandrarao hospital in Hathras district about 350 kilometers (217 miles) southwest of Lucknow, India, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering in India rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores.(AP Photo/Manoj Aligadi)

A woman watches members of a forensic team investigate the scene a day after a fatal stampede, in Fulrai village of Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh, India, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Rain puddles are seen at the scene of a fatal stampede, in Fulrai village of Hathras district about 350 kilometers (220 miles) southwest of the state capital, Lucknow, India, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh, India, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Police tape cordons off the scene a day after a fatal stampede, in Fulrai village of Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh, India, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Members of a forensic team investigate the scene a day after a fatal stampede, in Fulrai village of Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh, India, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

People injured in a stampede receive treatment at Hathras district hospital, Uttar Pradesh, India, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A man weeps while hugging the father-in-law of his 37-year-old sister Ruby, victim of a stampede, outside Hathras district hospital, Uttar Pradesh, India, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A man mourns by the body of his 37-year-old sister Ruby, victim of a stampede, outside Hathras district hospital, Uttar Pradesh, India, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Family members of 37-year-old Ruby, victim of a stampede, mourn after receiving her body from a mortuary as they prepare to leave for their hometown, outside Hathras district hospital, Uttar Pradesh, India, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)