Springer's inside-the-park homer leads Astros over D-backs

HOUSTON — George Springer homered twice, including an inside-the-park shot, to lead the Houston Astros over the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Sunday.

Carlos Correa drove in the go-ahead run for Houston with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Springer’s two home runs gave him 13 this year. He is set to become a free agent in the offseason, so it might have been his final home game with the Astros.

“We hope not,” manager Dusty Baker said. “I certainly hope that we get to the point where he puts enough pressure on the Astros to sign him.

“I mean, this guy is a heck of a player, and I think his best years are still ahead of him. This ballpark is perfect for him.”

Houston improved to 27-26 and will finish the regular season on the road against Seattle and Texas.

Springer’s first of the day was an inside-the-park homer off Taylor Widener in the sixth inning on a fly ball to center field that bounced off the wall, over the head of a leaping Daulton Varsho. It was his second career inside-the-park homer.

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Springer’s second homer came in the seventh off Hector Rondon.

Springer pumped his first after the ball narrowly cleared the fence and a leaping Kole Calhoun to tie the game at 2.

The Astros took the lead in the eighth on Correa’s sac fly off Junior Guerra (1-2) that scored Alex Bregman.

Diamondbacks starter Madison Bumgarner frequently expressed frustration with plate umpire Adam Hamari’s strike zone, becoming especially demonstrative in the third. After the inning, Bumgarner had a long conversation with Hamari before heading to the dugout.

In the fourth, players in the Arizona dugout continued to yell at Hamari until he stopped the game to yell back, eventually throwing out manager Torey Lovullo for his third ejection of the season.

“Ultimately, we know what a competitor he is,” Lovullo said of Bumgarner. “We know what his expectations are. I know he’s been battling through some frustration over the past couple of weeks.”

Bumgarner allowed two hits and struck out seven in five innings. The veteran lefty, who entered 0-4 with an ERA of 8.53, extended his winless streak to 13 starts, including eight since signing with Arizona.