The Houston Astros rode a first-inning uprising and a strong start by Ronel Blanco to a 5-1 win over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.
The Astros have won four of their last five games and have moved back over .500 for the first time since their victory over the New York Mets on Opening Day. They pounced on Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt (2-1) for three runs in the first inning to provide ample support for Blanco, who enjoyed his best start this season.
Blanco (2-2) cruised through his first two innings and was one batter shy of completing a full trip through the Toronto lineup without a blemish when Blue Jays center fielder Nathan Lukes turned on a 2-1 curveball and deposited the offering into the right-field seats. It was Lukes’ first homer this season and the second of his career.
Blanco was undaunted. He retired Bo Bichette on a flyout to center to complete the third and surrendered only three additional baserunners, all with two outs.
Blanco departed following a two-out walk to Alan Roden in the seventh, finishing with one run allowed on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts. His 6 2/3 innings were a season high.
Bassitt allowed more runs in the first inning than in his previous four starts this season. Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Pena singled in the frame. Christian Walker followed Pena’s RBI single with one of his own, scoring Alvarez, and Brendan Rodgers added a sacrifice fly to left that drove home Pena and upped the lead to 3-0.
Bassitt stranded the bases loaded in the third but surrendered a run-scoring double to Yainer Diaz in the sixth that extended the Houston lead to 4-1. Bassitt allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
Pena and Walker recorded three hits apiece. Isaac Paredes clubbed his fourth home run in the seventh.
