Brad Peacock had a career-high 12 strikeouts, and Michael Brantley recorded his fifth career multi-homer game as the Houston Astros cruised to a 9-0 victory over the visiting Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in the rubber match of their three-game series.

Peacock (3-2) lugged a 5.81 ERA as a starter into his sixth start of the season. He dominated the Royals throughout, allowing just three hits while issuing one walk in seven shutout innings.

Peacock threw 98 pitches, 65 for strikes, posting 13 called strikes on 38 two-seam fastballs. He matched his career high of 11 strikeouts with a called third strike against Martin Maldonado in the seventh inning and set a personal mark by fanning Terrance Gore one batter later. Maldonado and Royals manager Ned Yost were ejected arguing balls and strikes.

The Astros belted four home runs in support of Peacock. George Springer recorded his team-leading 12th homer leading off the bottom of the first inning, and Houston tacked on two dingers in its five-run third inning against Royals right-hander Jorge Lopez (0-4).

Brantley and Carlos Correa homered in consecutive at-bats in the third, with Brantley sending a 1-1 changeup to right field before Correa drilled a 1-2 fastball 425 feet to straightaway center. That marked the ninth homer on the season for Correa, a total Brantley matched in the fourth.

Facing reliever Jake Newberry, Brantley went deep to right again, this time turning on a 93.7 mph fastball just above the strike zone. That blast extended the Houston lead to 7-0.

Lopez was charged with six runs on six hits and three walks over 2 1/3 innings. Newberry surrendered three runs over 2 2/3 innings, including two in the fifth after the Astros loaded the bases with no outs. Brantley, Josh Reddick and Yuli Gurriel posted multi-hit games for Houston.

When Peacock ran into a spot of trouble in the top of the fifth, he escaped with flair, striking out Adalberto Mondesi and Hunter Dozer to end the threat after loading the bases with one out. Kansas City finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

--Field Level Media