Irvin Allows 1 Hit Over 8 Innings, Winker Homers As The Nationals Beat The Mets 1-0
TORONTO -- — Mauricio Dubón hit a tiebreaking single in the fifth inning, Jeremy Peña added a solo home run and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 on Thursday for their 12th win in 14 games.
"I feel like the team has good vibes right now,” Peña said. “Everyone is showing up with a job to do, which is show up, compete, and win the game. I feel like we’re all on the same page.”
Framber Valdez pitched six innings to win his third straight start as the Astros extended their team-record Fourth of July winning streak to seven.
Yordan Alvarez reached base four times and scored a run as Houston won the four-game series 3-1.
“Our goal is to finish this first half strong and playing our best,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “I feel like we’re there right now. We came out here and we took care of business.”
The Blue Jays have lost 12 of 16.
“Got to pick yourself up and keep going,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. "There’s no giving up, there’s no quitting."
Peña went 2 for 4 with a walk and scored twice. He extended Houston’s lead with a solo homer off Trevor Richards in the seventh inning, his seventh of the season. Peña also homered in Monday’s series opener.
Valdez (7-5) allowed three runs and nine hits. He walked two and struck out four.
“It started not his best but he settled down very nicely,” Espada said.
Tayler Scott pitched the seventh, Ryan Pressley worked the eighth and Josh Hader finished for his 14th save in 15 chances.
Both teams scored three runs in a first inning that produced eight hits and two walks.
Yainer Diaz opened the scoring with a bases-loaded groundout and Jon Singleton followed with a two-run single off Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt.
Toronto answered with five hits against Valdez in the bottom half. Two runs scored on a bases-loaded single by Spencer Horwitz and Alejandro Kirk added an RBI double.
Peña hit a one-out single in the fifth, advanced on a groundout and scored on Dubón’s single to center.
Bassitt (7-7) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings to lose for the first time since May 17 against Tampa Bay.
The Blue Jays used a walk and an infield single to put two runners on in the bottom of the fifth, but Astros third baseman Alex Bregman started an inning-ending double play on Danny Jansen’s grounder.
Houston turned five double plays Thursday. Bregman was involved in three, including an unassisted double play to end the first where he caught Ernie Clement’s liner and tagged Horwitz.
“I’ve been playing with him since 2022 and every day on defense he seems to amaze me,” Peña said of Bregman. “He makes plays that I don’t see people make.”
Toronto put the tying run at third base with one out in the sixth but Valdez finished his outing by getting Kirk and Clement to ground out.
The Blue Jays intentionally walked Alvarez to load the bases with two outs in the fourth. Diaz fouled out to end the inning.
“I tell you what, it’s tough to pitch to him right now,” Espada said of Alvarez. “I don’t blame Schneider for intentionally walking him. Right now he’s on fire.”
Alvarez was hit by pitches in the sixth and ninth innings.
ROSTER MOVES
Blue Jays: Jansen was activated off the paternity list and catcher Brian Serven was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: Shortstop Bo Bichette was scratched from the lineup because of a right forearm contusion. The two-time AL hit leader struck out on a pitch that hit him in the arm on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Astros: Espada said RHP reliever Shawn Dubin will start Friday’s game at Minnesota. RHP Pablo López (8-6, 4.88 ERA) is scheduled for the Twins.
Blue Jays: RHP Kevin Gausman (6-7, 4.75 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday against Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (6-9, 3.87) in the opener of a three-game series at Seattle.
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
38 1900x1080 0 ?ztv=20220907125319Los Angeles California March 27 Dave Winfield Attends Amazon Studios World Premiere Of Air At Regency Village Theatre On March 27 2023 In Los 2PHFEW0 Luxury Whitefield Kitchen 2 White Modern Kitchen 314 1900x1080 0 ?ztv=20220907125319F22d814b281668bb1112aba1cfbe95a5 129621 3 Shutterstock Editorial 5449996h The Winfield 3626 Sq Ft Hn Homes Img~b1518a7f043d94e1 4 4475 1 8ba5387 2016FD54 406 HR 2 1024x691 Cfbc4ec5f472f5d12814195f9a7b3158568f0912dc275550fa1da0f6bd2e59744bb8a8ad2869c208cd5fc7ce1862a09cFairview Park 1 10 Kitchen DSC08392 D32d82 9135cb35e8e6424ea9c1a914df061124~mv2 C9b3a9d635b3cc6bffa2a132c6e82ef0Medfield Kitchen And Dining Renovation Winslow Design Img~94b1c5af0dc9ac45 6134 1 65eb5e5 W320 H320 B1 P10 400f50e8 51c3 459a Bbe9 C3202163367c ?w=1040Screenshot 2023 04 09 At 08.36.41 1024x621 Winfield Commons Westlake Oh Upgraded Kitchen ?p=1ParkCenter Kitchen B Edit 1000x1024 1 400x284 The Fairway Commons Kitchen The Creative Kitchen Company Img~4841fc890e4b1073 9483 1 76e6e68 W320 H320 B1 P10 Medfield Kitchen And Dining Renovation Winslow Design Img~fea19df70dc9ac41 6134 1 1d122d9 W320 H320 B1 P10 DSC 0190 1920w.JPGPractice 5 ?media Id=1000832799223238ad02523e3f93f11b24ea9d8dc8f4f2a Field Way Final Pics 20 600x620 2 10557 NE 25th Fam To Kitchen 2000x1125 EWP Ferndale KitchenDining 4443.1900x600 E125c48fda6fdfcf54b23cc9044eb5d8 Fairview Road
Irvin Allows 1 Hit Over 8 Innings, Winker Homers As The Nationals Beat The Mets 1-0
TORONTO -- — Mauricio Dubón hit a tiebreaking single in the fifth inning, Jeremy Peña added a solo home run and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 on Thursday for their 12th win in 14 games.
"I feel like the team has good vibes right now,” Peña said. “Everyone is showing up with a job to do, which is show up, compete, and win the game. I feel like we’re all on the same page.”
Framber Valdez pitched six innings to win his third straight start as the Astros extended their team-record Fourth of July winning streak to seven.
Yordan Alvarez reached base four times and scored a run as Houston won the four-game series 3-1.
“Our goal is to finish this first half strong and playing our best,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “I feel like we’re there right now. We came out here and we took care of business.”
The Blue Jays have lost 12 of 16.
“Got to pick yourself up and keep going,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. "There’s no giving up, there’s no quitting."
Peña went 2 for 4 with a walk and scored twice. He extended Houston’s lead with a solo homer off Trevor Richards in the seventh inning, his seventh of the season. Peña also homered in Monday’s series opener.
Valdez (7-5) allowed three runs and nine hits. He walked two and struck out four.
“It started not his best but he settled down very nicely,” Espada said.
Tayler Scott pitched the seventh, Ryan Pressley worked the eighth and Josh Hader finished for his 14th save in 15 chances.
Both teams scored three runs in a first inning that produced eight hits and two walks.
Yainer Diaz opened the scoring with a bases-loaded groundout and Jon Singleton followed with a two-run single off Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt.
Toronto answered with five hits against Valdez in the bottom half. Two runs scored on a bases-loaded single by Spencer Horwitz and Alejandro Kirk added an RBI double.
Peña hit a one-out single in the fifth, advanced on a groundout and scored on Dubón’s single to center.
Bassitt (7-7) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings to lose for the first time since May 17 against Tampa Bay.
The Blue Jays used a walk and an infield single to put two runners on in the bottom of the fifth, but Astros third baseman Alex Bregman started an inning-ending double play on Danny Jansen’s grounder.
Houston turned five double plays Thursday. Bregman was involved in three, including an unassisted double play to end the first where he caught Ernie Clement’s liner and tagged Horwitz.
“I’ve been playing with him since 2022 and every day on defense he seems to amaze me,” Peña said of Bregman. “He makes plays that I don’t see people make.”
Toronto put the tying run at third base with one out in the sixth but Valdez finished his outing by getting Kirk and Clement to ground out.
The Blue Jays intentionally walked Alvarez to load the bases with two outs in the fourth. Diaz fouled out to end the inning.
“I tell you what, it’s tough to pitch to him right now,” Espada said of Alvarez. “I don’t blame Schneider for intentionally walking him. Right now he’s on fire.”
Alvarez was hit by pitches in the sixth and ninth innings.
ROSTER MOVES
Blue Jays: Jansen was activated off the paternity list and catcher Brian Serven was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: Shortstop Bo Bichette was scratched from the lineup because of a right forearm contusion. The two-time AL hit leader struck out on a pitch that hit him in the arm on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Astros: Espada said RHP reliever Shawn Dubin will start Friday’s game at Minnesota. RHP Pablo López (8-6, 4.88 ERA) is scheduled for the Twins.
Blue Jays: RHP Kevin Gausman (6-7, 4.75 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday against Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (6-9, 3.87) in the opener of a three-game series at Seattle.
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
