The Houston Astros' frustrating start to the season continued on Thursday afternoon against the Kansas City Royals. In the first inning, the Astros faced an unfortunate 9-0 deficit as Hunter Brown gave up nine runs on 11 hits in less than an inning. Brown is now making MLB history for his horrid start, per Paul Casella of MLB.

“Astros starter Hunter Brown is the 1st pitcher in MLB history to allow 11 hits while pitching less than 1 full inning.”

That's a stat nobody wants to be a part of, but it is the reality for Brown. He went just 0.2 innings while giving up 11 hits and a run and just one walk. He threw 40 pitches in the game, and his ERA has skyrocketed from 6.43 to 16.43.

Vinny Pasquantino drove in a pair of runs, followed by Nelson Velasquez plating another. Then Nick Loftin and Maikel Garcia each drove in two runs, all of them coming via singles. Bobby Witt, who inked a massive extension with the Royals this offseason, then drove in a pair with a huge two-run homer.

Brown then gave up a single to Pasquantino (again) and to Salvador Perez before walking MJ Melendez and being replaced in the game by Seth Martinez. Martinez ended up throwing 2.1 scoreless innings and zero hits, so clearly Brown was off his game on Thursday for the Astros.

Hunter Brown's rough start to the season continues 

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It has been a rough start to the 2024 season for Brown. In his first outing of the year, he went four innings and gave up just one run, which was unearned. Last time out, he went just three innings and gave up five runs on eight hits with four walks against the Texas Rangers. But Thursday's start was an unfortunate blemish to his MLB career.

To make matters worse, the Astros entered Thursday's game with a 4-9 record and at the bottom of the American League West standings, so something needs to change in Houston and quickly. They had lost both games against Kansas City entering this one, and they go back home for six games against the Rangers and Atlanta Braves.