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
7075100002 Colony Pro Single Handle Bathroom Faucet Monoblock Best Commercial Kitchen Faucets Reviews 3 768x768 803bb89e Aa97 4282 84cc 0cb2dcba43cc.85f2d86cb4325fcc0de49a7ea7d26467 ?odnWidth=1000&odnHeight=1000&odnBg=ffffffF240001 Fc84f 01549139 E6a7 4a3c Ac33 Dfd56dd60411 1.160b0d1fcad7ea0d3c19d2345c4eae48 61XsTHpHBzL 526 CP Lg 064 B0703 Large Polished Chrome Design House Utility Sink Faucets 525139 64 1000 Cf34378d E8a2 4146 B80a 3765688d5157 1.194a376230e38638bca3bb64c9857582 2061794 C5d50da6 7117 456b Bdff F534ba755bd7 1.ee86b92f88866773ad93e309bf2ed6fd Ef845be3 C21c 47de 8911 3c438f017bef 1.3874d524867aecddfbfa44c4ad8ceb4d 41%2BJ2Lz1swL. AC US1000 DEL 28T9 2 9e73031d 8108 4a11 B063 Efa28170ac52.2b0ff2036600d385d5acb246b99c92cd Meridian Semi Pro Pull Down Single Handle Kitchen Faucet Tmp13d2 2etmp Tcm131 406624 6698ad68 F8bb 4ddf B38d A5a13435691a 1.c370e67861a89f30119e44c794cecef0 304 Stainless Steel 28 Pre Rinse Spray Commercial Style Kitchen Faucet With High Pressure Pull Out B 4285002 Portsmouth Pull Out Kitchen Faucet 81cUANLUvAL 5331cfe2 E023 496c Bb33 A4034f51c119 1.b2e872bdef7bd7e9c912580f02948a24 Stainless Steel Faucet Wewe F3f741509977ff0fb9a6594b3dc1bff5 Central Brass 0468 5795709 71ro7b7iYFL. SL1500 1c7a6e8d73857a3e495f667d9290a3e5 720x720q80 01049069 ?size=pdhism4429 Rough