Ronel Blanco aims to steady Astros in crucial Game 3 matchup with Blue Jays

BLANCO ON THE BUMP

Astros Ronel Blanco, Yainer Diaz
Ronel Blanco struggled in his last start against the Mets. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.

Houston Astros (43-42, second in the AL West) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (39-46, fifth in the AL East)

Toronto; Wednesday, 7:07 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Ronel Blanco (8-3, 2.49 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 84 strikeouts); Blue Jays: Yusei Kikuchi (4-8, 4.18 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 93 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -113, Blue Jays -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Toronto Blue Jays host the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

Toronto is 21-22 in home games and 39-46 overall. The Blue Jays have a 27-15 record in games when they record eight or more hits.

Houston has a 19-23 record on the road and a 43-42 record overall. Astros hitters have a collective .322 on-base percentage, the second-ranked percentage in the AL.

Wednesday’s game is the sixth meeting between these teams this season. The Astros hold a 3-2 advantage in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads the Blue Jays with a .298 batting average, and has 18 doubles, 13 home runs, 39 walks and 50 RBI. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is 16-for-38 with three home runs and four RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Blue Jays: 4-6, .248 batting average, 5.69 ERA, outscored by six runs.

Astros: 8-2, .293 batting average, 3.70 ERA, outscored opponents by 27 runs

INJURIES: Blue Jays: Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 10-Day IL (knee), Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: day-to-day (finger), Yimi Garcia: 15-Day IL (elbow), Jordan Romano: 15-Day IL (elbow), Alek Manoah: 15-Day IL (elbow)

Astros: Jake Bloss: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Victor Caratini: 10-Day IL (hip), Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (neck), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Kyle Tucker: 10-Day IL (shin), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Angels beat the Astros, 3-0. Composite Getty Image.

José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.

There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.

Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.

Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.

He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.

Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.

Key moment

The home run by Peraza.

Key stat

It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.

Up next

LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.

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