Houston loses the middle game

Blue Jays ding Urquidy to even series with Astros

Jose Urquidy didn't fare well on Saturday. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images.

With a hit parade in Friday's opener to start this three-game set on the right foot, the Astros looked to lock up the series victory in a similar fashion on Saturday afternoon. Instead, the Blue Jays reversed the roles and got after Jose Urquidy, while Houston's bats made little noise, resulting in an Astros loss to even the series.

Final Score: Blue Jays 6, Astros 2

Astros' Record: 32-26, second in the AL West

Winning Pitcher: Ross Stripling (2-3)

Losing Pitcher: Jose Urquidy (4-3)

Toronto gets to Urquidy

After returning from the IL with a quality start in his last outing, giving him four in his previous five starts, Jose Urquidy did not get one on Saturday. He started with three scoreless innings, but things unraveled for him in the bottom of the fourth as back-to-back singles to start the frame turned into a one-out RBI single and then a three-run home run, giving Toronto a 4-1 lead at the time. Urquidy tried to rebound in the bottom of the fifth, but again, it would get tagged as a one-out single turned into a two-run homer by Vladmir Guerrero Jr., making it a 6-1 game. That would be the end of his afternoon, making his final line 4.1 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, 74 P.

A crash landing for Houston's bats as Toronto evens the series

After putting up thirteen runs the night prior, things were not clicking as well for Houston. They had a chance to get on the board in the top of the third, with Myles Straw coming around from second on a hit by Jose Altuve, but would miss the call to slide, getting tagged out by a great throw to prevent the run. They threatened in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with two outs, but would get just one run out of it on an RBI walk by Straw.

They made little noise after that, until the top of the ninth when they would get runners on second and third with no outs. Straw would get a groundout to bring a run in, making it 6-2, but that's as close as they would come in the loss, setting up a rubber game in the finale to decide the series.

Up Next: The finale of this three-game set and the six-game season series between the Astros and Blue Jays will start at 12:07 PM Central on Sunday. Luis Garcia (4-3, 2.89 ERA) will try to replicate the success of his recent seven-inning start for Houston, while Steven Matz (6-2, 4.22 ERA) will be on the mound for Toronto.

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Jose Altuve is expected to miss significant time. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was hit by a pitch during Saturday's WBC game between Venezuela and the USA, which put a scare into Astros fans, and caused him to exit the game.

Now we're hearing Altuve with have to miss some time and won't be ready to start the season.

Bob Nightengale is reporting that the pitch broke Altuve's right thumb and he is expected to miss 8–10 weeks.

The Astros have not given an official update on the specifics of the injury.

Editor's note: The Astros have now given an update on Altuve's injury. He has a fractured thumb and will have surgery soon.

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