BLUE JAYS DEFEAT ASTROS
Yordan shines, Astros' comeback falls short in loss to Blue Jays
Jul 2, 2024, 9:17 pm
Blue Jays defeat the Astros, 7-6. Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images.
George Springer hit a three-run home run against his former team, Spencer Horwitz added a solo homer and the Toronto Blue Jays held on to beat the Houston Astros 7-6 on Tuesday night.
Yordan Alvarez homered and scored twice as Houston almost came back from a 7-0 deficit, but the Astros lost for just the second time in their last 12 games.
José Berríos (8-6) pitched five innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time since a three-start winning streak between April 8 and 20. The right-hander allowed five runs and five hits.
Chad Green pitched around Jemery Peña’s leadoff double in the ninth for his third save in three chances.
Houston's Jose Altuve had three hits but flied out to center to end it.
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 1 for 3 with a walk and scored twice in his return to the lineup after being scratched from Monday's loss. Guerrero was hit on the fingers by a 96 mph fastball from Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole on Sunday.
Toronto’s Justin Turner opened the scoring with a two-out RBI single off Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti in the first inning, and the Blue Jays used two homers to add four more runs with a two-out rally in the third.
Horwitz homered off the facing of the second deck in right, and Guerrero followed with a double. Turner walked before Springer homered into Toronto’s left field bullpen.
Springer’s homer was his fourth in seven games.
Blue Jays rookie Addison Barger hit an RBI double in the fourth and Alejandro Kirk scored on a passed ball by Houston’s César Salazar.
Arrighetti (4-7) allowed seven runs, six earned, and six hits in four innings.
The Astros chased Berríos with a five-run fifth. Salazar and Altuve hit RBI singles and Alvarez drilled a three-run homer.
ROSTER MOVES
Houston optioned IF/OF Cooper Hummel to Triple-A Sugar Land and recalled INF Grae Kessinger.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP J.P. France had right shoulder surgery Monday and will miss the rest of the season, the team said.
Blue Jays: Toronto put INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa (sprained left knee) on the 10-day IL, retroactive to Monday, and recalled INF Leo Jimenez from Triple-A Buffalo. Manager John Schneider said Kiner-Falefa will need more than 10 days to recover and called him “week-to-week.”
UP NEXT
Astros RHP Ronel Blanco (8-3, 2.49 ERA), who no-hit the Blue Jays in April, is scheduled to start Wednesday night against Toronto LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-8, 4.18).
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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