STONE COLD 'STROS
Here’s how Houston Astros will hope to sustain MLB-best run
Jul 1, 2024, 5:14 pm
Astros beat the Blue Jays, 3-1. Composite Getty Image.
Hunter Brown pitched six shutout innings, Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alavarez hit home runs and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Monday afternoon for their 10th win in 11 games.
Peña Power. #Relentless pic.twitter.com/rewIK6SlOy
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 1, 2024
After going 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA in five June starts, Brown (6-5) opened July with another solid outing. The right-hander allowed two hits, both singles. He walked three and struck out five.
Solid 6 from this guy. pic.twitter.com/z1biaT1BcL
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 1, 2024
Decked out in special red jerseys and caps, the Blue Jays lost on the Canada Day holiday for a second year in a row.
After Rafael Montero worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning, the Blue Jays loaded the bases against Bryan Abreu in the eighth. Abreu escaped by getting Daulton Varsho to ground out.
Josh Hader allowed a solo home run to Ernie Clement in the ninth but finished for his 13th save in 14 chances.
The Blue Jays have played 36 innings against the Astros this season and scored in just two of them. Toronto won 2-1 on April 2 when David Schneider hit a two-run home run off Hader in the ninth inning.
Clement's homer off Hader was his fourth of the season.
Houston’s Ronel Blanco threw a no-hitter against Toronto on April 1, and five Astros pitchers combined on a one-hit win over the Blue Jays on April 3.
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was scratched from the lineup Monday because of pain in his right hand. Guerrero was hit on the fingers by a 96 mph fastball from Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole in the third inning of Sunday’s loss to New York.
Toronto right-hander Yariel Rodríguez retired the first 14 batters before Peña hit a first-pitch homer in the fifth inning for his sixth of the season.
Rodríguez (0-3) allowed one run and two hits in a career-high 6 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Alvarez gave the Astros some insurance with a two-run shot off Zach Pop in the ninth. The homer was his 17th.
All Star Behavior. https://t.co/UTDeXYLgwL pic.twitter.com/fsApl4syVd
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 1, 2024
ROSTER MOVES
Blue Jays: Toronto put catcher Danny Jansen on the paternity list and recalled catcher Brian Serven from Triple-A Buffalo.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: 2B Jose Altuve got the day off. … Right-hander Justin Verlander (neck) resumed throwing over the weekend but there is no timetable for his return, manager Joe Espada said.
Blue Jays: INF Spencer Horwitz moved from second base to replace Guerrero, and Ernie Clement came in to play third. … INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa was scratched from the lineup because of a sore left knee. Kevin Kiermaier came in to play center, Daulton Varsho moved from center to left, and Davis Schneider went from left field to second.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays RHP José Berríos (7-6, 3.38 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night against Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (4-6, 5.68).
Be sure to watch the video above as the guys from Stone Cold 'Stros react to the win live, and discuss how the Astros can sustain their success.
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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.