TORONTO – Hunter Brown pitched six shutout innings, Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alavarez hit home runs and the Houston Astros defeated 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 starts in June, Brown (6-5) opened July with another solid outing. The right-hander allowed two hits, both singles. He walked three and struck out five.
Dressed in special red jerseys and caps, the Blue Jays lost on Canada Day for the second year in a row.
After Rafael Montero went 1-2-3 in the seventh inning, the Blue Jays loaded the bases against Bryan Abreu in the eighth. Abreu escaped causing Daulton Varsho to be sent off.
Josh Hader allowed a solo home run to Ernie Clement in the ninth, but finished his 13th save in 14 chances.
The Blue Jays have thrown 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 home run 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 for a one-hit victory over the Blue Jays on April 3.
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. eliminated from the lineup on Monday because of pain in his right hand. Guerrero was hit in the knuckles 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 home run on the first pitch in the fifth inning into the 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 home run was the 17th.
ROSTER MOVEMENTS
Blue Jays: Toronto placed catcher Danny Jansen on the paternity list and recalled catcher Brian Serven from Triple-A Buffalo.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: 2B Jose Altuve took time off. … Right-hander Justin Verlander (neck) returned to play 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 eliminated from the lineup because of left knee pain. Kevin Kiermaier came in to play center, Daulton Varsho moved from center to left field and Davis Schneider moved from left field to second.
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).
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