BLANCO ON THE BUMP
Ronel Blanco aims to steady Astros in crucial Game 3 matchup with Blue Jays
Jul 3, 2024, 11:56 am
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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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.