TOTONTO (AP) — Hunter Brown pitched six shutout innings, Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alavarez 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.
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.
Josh Hader allowed a solo home run to Ernie Clement in the ninth but finished for his 13th save in 14 chances.
Toronto right-hander Yariel Rodríguez retired the first 14 batters before Peña hit a first-pitch homer in the fifth inning for his 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.
METS 9, NATIONALS 7, 10 INNINGS
WASHINGTON (AP) —J.D. Martinez and Jose Iglesias homered in a six-run 10th inning, and New York held off Washington to spoil the major league debut of prized outfield prospect James Wood.
Francisco Alvarez had three RBIs for the Mets (41-41), who stopped a two-game skid and improved to 17-6 in their last 23 games.
In the opener of a four-game series between NL East rivals, Harrison Bader was hit by pitch leading off the 10th to put two runners on. Martinez followed with his 10th homer, a drive to center field against Hunter Harvey (2-4).
Tyrone Taylor doubled and scored on Alvarez’s first career triple, which hit high off the right-field wall, and Iglesias made it 9-3 when he sent a two-run shot to center for his first big league homer since 2022 with Colorado.
Washington scored four times in the bottom half before Reed Garrett struck out Luis García Jr. with two on for his fourth save.
ROCKIES 8, BREWERS 7, 10 INNINGS
DENVER (AP) — Jake Cave came through with a bases-loaded single over a five-man infield in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Colorado a victory against Milwaukee.
Brenton Doyle homered twice and Charlie Blackmon went deep on his birthday for the third time in his career to help the Rockies outlast the Brewers.
William Contreras homered among his three hits for Milwaukee, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Willy Adames had three hits, including an RBI single to ignite a three-run eighth that put the Brewers back in front 7-6.
Doyle homered for the second time in the game, a two-out solo shot in the bottom of the eighth off Elvis Peguero, to produce the fourth tie of the night at 7-all.
Tyler Kinley (4-1) picked up the win with a scoreless 10th inning, getting out of a jam by striking out Garrett Mitchell.
Houston Astros' Jeremy Peña hits a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in fifth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, July 1, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO (AP) — Jose Altuve hit a tiebreaking single in a four-run seventh inning, Yordan Alvarez homered for the third straight game and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-2 on Wednesday night for their 11th win in 13 games.
Houston’s Yainer Diaz reached base four times and drove in three as the Astros handed the struggling Blue Jays their 11th loss in 15.
Alvarez looked to be in pain after an awkward swing on his ground ball to second base that ended the first inning, but Houston’s designated hitter reached base in his next four plate appearances.
Alvarez doubled home a run in the third, led off the sixth with a solo homer, came around to score after being intentionally walked in the seventh, and capped his night with an RBI double in the eighth. He finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
Right-hander Tayler Scott (5-2) got the win despite allowing a game-tying single to the only batter he faced. Bryan Abreu worked a perfect seventh, Bryan King pitched the eighth and Rafael Montero finished.
Toronto’s Bo Bichette struck out on a pitch that hit him in the ninth.
Bichette opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first but Alvarez tied it with a two-out double in the third.
Alvarez gave Houston a 2-1 edge with a leadoff homer in the sixth, his 19th, but Daulton Varsho tied it with a two-out single off Scott in the bottom half. Varsho went too far past first base and was thrown out to end the rally.
Chas McCormick reached on a fielding error by Blue Jays right-hander Zach Pop (0-3) to begin the seventh, and pinch-hitter Jon Singleton followed with a double. Altuve broke the 2-all tie with an RBI single.
Pop left after Alex Bregman lined out, but Jose Cuas didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced, walking Alvarez intentionally before allowing Diaz’s two-run single on his first pitch. Cuas exited after hitting Jake Meyers and Jeremy Peña with consecutive pitches to bring home a fourth run.
Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco, who no-hit the Blue Jays on April 1, allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
ROSTER MOVES
Toronto put INF Justin Turner on the paternity list and recalled OF Steward Berroa from Triple-A Buffalo.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (neck) is playing catch every other day, manager Joe Espada said. There is no timetable for Verlander’s return.
Blue Jays: RHP Jordan Romano will be sidelined for at least six weeks after surgery for an impingement in his right elbow, manager John Schneider said. It’s not clear whether the two-time All-Star will return this season.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (7-6, 3.24 ERA) is scheduled to pitch against Astros LHP Framber Valdez (6-5, 4.11) in Thursday afternoon’s series finale.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) wears City Connect spikes against the Houston Astros during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho (25) hits an RBI single against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, top, forces out Toronto Blue Jays' Brian Serven (15) and throws to first base to complete the double play during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros' Chas McCormick (20) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Zach Pop (56) works against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, center, forces out Toronto Blue Jays' Brian Serven (15) and throws to first base to complete the double play during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros pitcher Tayler Scott (50) works against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho (25) hits a double against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez (44) hits a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez (44) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
