Verlander (7-2) gave up a seventh-inning homer to Greg Bird among five hits in 6 2/3 innings. It was his first home run surrendered since April 25 against Albert Pujols.

Verlander improved to 12-2 in 17 regular-season starts since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers minutes before the waiver trade deadline on Aug. 31 of last season.

Including Games 2 and 6 of the ALCS last season, he is 3-0 in four starts against the Yankees with Houston.

Verlander joined Bartolo Colon and CC Sabathia as the third active pitcher to reach at least 195 wins. He finished the game with a 1.11 ERA as he struck out five, walked none and threw 113 pitches.

After being taken out, Verlander tipped his cap to the booing Bronx crowd as he crossed the third-base line.

Will Harris recorded the final out of the seventh, Chris Devenski pitched a scoreless eighth and Ken Giles finished up after allowing three runs in the ninth Sunday in Cleveland.

J.D. Davis hit a three-run homer and Evan Gattis hit an RBI single as the Astros won for the 14th time in 19 games since May 7. Altuve homered in the eighth after striking twice against Domingo German (0-3).

German allowed four runs (three earned) and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

The Yankees lost for the fourth time in six games and altered their lineup as Giancarlo Stanton did not start after going 0-for-12 over the weekend against the Los Angeles Angels. Bird batted fourth, rookie Gleyber Torres batted fifth and slumping Didi Gregorius was moved to seventh and had two hits.

The Astros jumped ahead 3-0 when Davis slugged German's 3-1 fastball into the left-field seats for his first homer of the season with one out in the second.

Houston made it 4-0 with none out in the fourth when Gattis ripped a single down the left-field line and took second on the throw by left fielder Brett Gardner, who nabbed Marwin Gonzalez at third as Yuli Gurriel scored.

New York got its first hit off Verlander when Torres singled just over shortstop Carlos Correa's glove in the second. The Yankees got two men on when Aaron Hicks was hit by a pitch but Torres was picked off second to end the inning.

Verlander retired eight in a row until Gregorius singled to the uncovered third base side of the infield in the fifth, then moved to second on a base hit by Miguel Andujar. Verlander ended the threat by retiring Neil Walker on a popup.

Bird made it 4-1 when he opened the seventh by lifting Verlander's 2-2 fastball into the right-field seats.

--Field Level Media