Transfer Talk: Barcelona Stalling After Arsenal's Koundé Bid
TORONTO -- — Hunter Brown pitched six shutout innings, Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alvarez hit home runs and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Monday afternoon for their 10th win in 11 games.
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.
“It couldn’t happen to a better guy,” Peña said. “He prepares really well and he goes out there and competes.”
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.
“You can have him against the ropes but he’s going to figure out a way to get people out,” Astros manager Joe Espada said of Abreu. “That’s just Bryan. He’s so good, his stuff is so explosive.”
Josh Hader allowed a solo home run to Ernie Clement in the ninth but finished for his 13th save in 14 chances.
Clement’s homer off Hader was his fourth of the season.
Toronto left eight runners on base, twice leaving the bases loaded. They finished 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.
“We just needed a hit in certain spots,” manager John Schneider said.
The Blue Jays used a single and two walks to load the bases with one out in the second but Brown got Clement to pop up before striking out Kevin Kiermaier.
“The first two innings I wasn’t executing at the clip I wanted to,” Brown said. “I was able to bear down and make some pitches early in an at-bat that kind of forced them to swing at some stuff.”
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 Davis Schneider hit a two-run home run off Hader in the ninth inning.
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 his first 14 batters before Peña hit a first-pitch homer in the fifth inning for his sixth of the season.
“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit and put a barrel on it,” Peña said.
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.
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, Espada said.
Blue Jays: INF Spencer Horwitz moved from second base to replace Guerrero, and Clement came in to play third. … INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa was scratched from the lineup after his left knee felt sore during pregame warmups. Kiermaier came in to play center, 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).
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
30bab6ee6b71bfd70e4df43fae7f748d In Kitchen Kitchen Sinks Ecb5fd27e7e1861401f7b41fab1414d239e7ae9c E7af149b4c45f6dcc44a7e7b1984cdfa 6cc890501902cb16ca69b94d0bd8b416 91OkxsINUwL. AC SL1500 7cf6f260026c06b4a56207274caad0e0 51MK3ycJyCS. AC SX300 SY300 QL70 ML2 719U2eJ0ofL. AC SL1500 S L1600 Joie Sink Strainer 1661734001 B6968e02 Progressive 28156a50 28f3 40f0 88ca 03bb3ba58c86 1.a9e5d0076ed65d32fcdd2c86fd778d05 51b BeEc L. AC SY606 81dE7S86cLL. AC SS450 Joie Sink Strainer 1661734001 D44582d5 61618OGc95L. AC SL1500 81%2Bhn7XHrnL. AC SL1500 41ccOMyTYLL. AC SX466 81n6Erf1K9L. AC SL1500 22c5d64326e012d14a4b5b866ac50398.w970.h600. CR0%2C0%2C970%2C600 SX1500 Sg 11134201 22100 Mviskqace9iv1d01 Upscayl 4x Realesrgan X4plus ?v=1683355998&width=600260b8c13195c7d11939ac30c0be0af5b Double Sinks Kitchen Gadgets 71rSwQqfDRL. AC SL1500 4d41dbe28b1574af79c516fa52fbadb8 817P2DLRECL. AC SL1500 Fc7f3b6d465b28e550f48d519efa5b16 Joie Sink Cleaning Assortment Normal 61bpfrPl 8L. AC SX425 71f5j2qz3mL. AC SY550 S Pdpxl.file 970192e1 56c6 4d67 9c17 A4300f1b16e7 ?v=1665334342&width=459A7f35d194a79298b9bb17ea7962ce45c H 720,w 1280