Houston pitchers combine for 3-hitter, Astros down Guardians 5-2 in matchup of AL division champs

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ronel Blanco pitched five scoreless innings and combined with three relievers on a three-hitter, leading the Houston Astros to a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night in a matchup of division winners that could meet again this postseason.

Blanco (13-6) allowed just a single in five innings and remained unbeaten in his last nine starts. He was replaced by rookie Spencer Arrighetti, who made his first career relief appearance after 28 starts.

Arrighetti was good for two innings but walked the bases loaded in the eighth. As he was lifted, the right-hander was ejected by plate umpire Mark Wegner, who didn't appreciate him spiking the resin bag on the mound.

Bryan Abreu came in and got the Astros out of the jam by striking out rookie Kyle Manzardo and All-Star José Ramírez.

Held to one hit for eight innings, the Guardians got two runs in the ninth off Josh Hader, who finished up.

Victor Caratini and rookie Zach Dezenzo hit back-to-back homers for the AL West champion Astros, who are locked into the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and will host a wild-card series next week.

If they advance, the Astros will play in Cleveland on Oct. 5 in Game 1 of the ALDS.

The Guardians are still chasing the New York Yankees for the top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

After going 7-19 in April, Houston has turned it around by going 80-54 — the majors' second-best mark over that span.

Blanco, who threw a no-hitter in his first start this season, flirted with another before Will Brennan grounded a single to center with two outs in the fifth.

It's unlikely Blanco would have gone the distance with a light rain falling and the Astros already making plans for the wild card. Only five pitchers have thrown two no-hitters in the same season, the last Max Scherzer in 2015.

After Caratini's hot to right, Dezenzo, who was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land earlier in the day and struck out his first two times up, blasted a 1-2 pitch over the wall in center.

RUN IT BACK?

The Astros are hoping to make another trip to Cleveland in 2024.

Although it's possible the teams could face each other in the ALDS next weekend, Houston manager Joe Espada didn't expect Guardians skipper Stephen Vogt to change anything to avoid tipping off postseason strategy.

“They're trying to finish with the best record in the American League,” he said. “Their style of play isn’t going to change because we’re here. They are a dynamic team. They put the ball in play. They use their speed. I don’t expect them to do anything different."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: LF Yordan Alvarez (knee sprain) ran on a treadmill in Houston and Espada said the slugger is “getting better quickly.” Alvarez got hurt sliding into second on Sunday. Espada said Alvarez will need to be able to hit before he's considered for the wild-card roster due Tuesday. “You can’t just go from what he's doing now to the baseball field,” Espada said. “He’s a really, really good player but we need him to check some boxes.”

Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb (finger blister) had a productive bullpen session on Thursday as he continues progress from an injury that has sidelined him nearly a month. Vogt was vague in addressing what's next for Cobb, who has made only three starts since being acquired in a trade.

UP NEXT

Guardians RHP Ben Lively (13-9, 3.80) starts against Justin Verlander (4-6, 5.55), who will be facing Cleveland for the 57th time in his career.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve, front, slides safely into second base as Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez, back, applies a tag in the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Progressive Insurance spokesperson Flo throws out a ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game between the Houston Astros and the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

The AL Central Division Championship flag is raised before a baseball game between the Houston Astros and the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez, right, steals second base as Houston Astros third baseman Grae Kessinger, left, takes the throw in the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Houston Astros' Victor Caratini (17) is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Houston Astros' Zach Dezenzo (9) is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve is congratulated in the dugout after scoring in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve doubles in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Houston Astros' Ronel Blanco pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

TORONTO (AP) — Xavier Edwards had the first three-triple game in the majors since 2014, Jonah McBride homered twice and the Miami Marlins set a season high in runs by routing the Toronto Blue Jays 15-5 on Friday night.

Edwards hit a sharp grounder down the right-field line for a triple in the second inning, got another three-bagger in the fourth on a fly ball to the gap in right-center and hit a line drive in the seventh that one-hopped the wall in right for his third triple. He became the first Marlins player with three triples in a game and finished 4 for 6 with four RBIs and two runs scored.

Midway through the game, the Marlins announced that manager Skip Schumaker would miss the final two games because of a family medical issue. Bench coach Luis Urueta will lead the team this weekend.

Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine homered against the team that drafted him in 2018 and drove in three runs.

Bride hit a two-run homer in the first inning and added a solo blast in the eighth, his 11th of the season, in the first multi-homer game of his career.

Jake Burger had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, and Jesús Sánchez scored three times as the Marlins racked up 17 hits, including one against position player Tyler Heineman in the ninth inning.

Adam Oller (2-4) came in 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA in four September starts but snapped his losing streak by allowing four runs and eight hits in five innings. Oller walked two and struck out three.

The Marlins didn’t arrive at their Toronto hotel until 5:30 a.m. EDT following a 13-inning win at Minnesota on Thursday night, but they didn’t show any signs of fatigue against the Blue Jays.

Sánchez opened the scoring with an RBI double off José Berríos in the first and Bride followed with a drive to left.

Edwards' two-run triple in the second made it 5-0, and Sánchez scored on a wild pitch in the third.

Berríos (16-11) allowed six runs and six hits in three innings in his final start of the season, as many runs as he’d allowed in his previous five starts combined. The right-hander lost his second straight start after winning the previous seven.

Burger hit an RBI single against Easton Lucas in the fourth and Conine added a two-out, two-run bloop single.

Conine chased Lucas with a leadoff homer in the seventh, his third.

Ernie Clement homered for Toronto, his 12th. The Blue Jays dropped to 7-15 in September.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 2 for 4 with an RBI. He has 199 hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Miami: Placed RHP Declan Cronin (left knee) on the 15-day injured list and activated RHP Mike Baumann from the paternity list.

UP NEXT

RHP Yariel Rodríguez (1-7, 4.41 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Saturday. The Marlins had not named a starter.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jose Berrios walks back to the dugout during third-inning baseball game action against the Miami Marlins in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette, center, stands in the dugout during third-inning baseball game action against the Miami Marlins in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jose Berrios, center, talks over video with catcher Alejandro Kirk, right, during second-inning baseball game action against the Miami Marlins in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., right, reacts after being struck by a foul ball as Miami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes, left, looks on during fifth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider watches from the dugout as his team takes on the Miami Marlins in baseball game action in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Jonatan Clase, during sixth-inning baseball game action against the Miami Marlins in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Miami Marlins' Jake Burger hits an RBI single during fourth-inning baseball game action against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Miami Marlins' Griffin Conine breaks his bat on a two-run single during fourth-inning baseball game action against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Miami Marlins' Xavier Edwards (63) hits a two-run triple against the Toronto Blue Jays during second inning interleague MLB baseball action in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)