HOUSTON — A few golden “King Tuck” crowns still dotted the right-field stands, where Kyle Tucker drove a three-run home run during the Cubs’ 12-3 victory Saturday against the Astros.
A fan in the first row fumbled the catch, and the ball bounced over the side railing, depriving him of a souvenir from Tucker’s first series back in Houston since being traded to the Cubs.
After Tucker received a warm welcome Friday, his fourth-inning homer inspired a standing ovation from the Cubs fans in the crowd and a smattering of boos from some Astros fans.
“That’s a good thing,” said Tucker, who also hit two singles and a double in his second four-hit game of the season. “That means we’re doing our job over here.”
The Cubs authored a seven-run fourth inning to take control of the game. The rout evened the series at a game apiece.
Left-handed hitter Michael Busch, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, started the rally with a one-out opposite-field solo homer.
Nico Hoerner followed with his own long ball into the left-field stands. It was Hoerner’s third homer of the season, all of which have come in the last five games.
The Cubs took a brief break from hitting the ball over the fence, as Matt Shaw drew a walk and Reese McGuire and Ian Happ hit back-to-back singles to drive in a run. Then came Tucker’s blast.
To add the finishing touches, Seiya Suzuki tripled, and the Astros pulled starting pitcher Lance McCullers. Then Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in Suzuki with a sacrifice fly off left-handed reliever Steven Okert.
“Just really consistent at-bats all day long,” Hoerner said. “And nice to keep adding on, adding on, adding on, save our bullpen and be in a good spot heading in tomorrow.
Rea rebounds
Cubs right-hander Colin Rea bounced back from his worst start of the year last week against the Mariners to hold the Astros to two runs in five innings.
Both scored on Cam Smith’s home run in the third. Smith won a 10-pitch battle, launching a slider over the left-field wall.
Smith, whom the Cubs drafted in the first round last year and traded to the Astros in the package for Tucker, has homered in back-to-back games.
Rea finished his outing by retiring seven straight batters after Smith.
Pressly returns
Johnny Cash’s ‘‘God’s Gonna Cut You Down,’’ former Astros closer Ryan Pressly’s walk-in music, played over the sound system as Pressly ran in from the visitor’s bullpen.
Astros fans applauded as he took the Daikin Park mound for the first time since the Astros traded him to the Cubs in the offseason.
Pressly retired the side in order in the ninth inning, striking out Victor Caratini looking for the final out.
Suzuki pulls ahead
After weeks of pursuing Crow-Armstrong in the team home-run race, Suzuki pulled ahead with his 22nd homer of the season. In the eighth inning, Suzuki cranked a two-run homer off the stadium wall above the left-field seats. The blast also gave Suzuki a career high, barely past the halfway point.