Last update images today Does A Kiss Mean Anything
WBC Expels Boxing Star Garcia After Racial Slurs
TORONTO -- — Mauricio Dubón hit a tiebreaking single in the fifth inning, Jeremy Peña added a solo home run and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 on Thursday for their 12th win in 14 games.
"I feel like the team has good vibes right now,” Peña said. “Everyone is showing up with a job to do, which is show up, compete, and win the game. I feel like we’re all on the same page.”
Framber Valdez pitched six innings to win his third straight start as the Astros extended their team-record Fourth of July winning streak to seven.
Yordan Alvarez reached base four times and scored a run as Houston won the four-game series 3-1.
“Our goal is to finish this first half strong and playing our best,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “I feel like we’re there right now. We came out here and we took care of business.”
The Blue Jays have lost 12 of 16.
“Got to pick yourself up and keep going,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. "There’s no giving up, there’s no quitting."
Peña went 2 for 4 with a walk and scored twice. He extended Houston’s lead with a solo homer off Trevor Richards in the seventh inning, his seventh of the season. Peña also homered in Monday’s series opener.
Valdez (7-5) allowed three runs and nine hits. He walked two and struck out four.
“It started not his best but he settled down very nicely,” Espada said.
Tayler Scott pitched the seventh, Ryan Pressley worked the eighth and Josh Hader finished for his 14th save in 15 chances.
Both teams scored three runs in a first inning that produced eight hits and two walks.
Yainer Diaz opened the scoring with a bases-loaded groundout and Jon Singleton followed with a two-run single off Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt.
Toronto answered with five hits against Valdez in the bottom half. Two runs scored on a bases-loaded single by Spencer Horwitz and Alejandro Kirk added an RBI double.
Peña hit a one-out single in the fifth, advanced on a groundout and scored on Dubón’s single to center.
Bassitt (7-7) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings to lose for the first time since May 17 against Tampa Bay.
The Blue Jays used a walk and an infield single to put two runners on in the bottom of the fifth, but Astros third baseman Alex Bregman started an inning-ending double play on Danny Jansen’s grounder.
Houston turned five double plays Thursday. Bregman was involved in three, including an unassisted double play to end the first where he caught Ernie Clement’s liner and tagged Horwitz.
“I’ve been playing with him since 2022 and every day on defense he seems to amaze me,” Peña said of Bregman. “He makes plays that I don’t see people make.”
Toronto put the tying run at third base with one out in the sixth but Valdez finished his outing by getting Kirk and Clement to ground out.
The Blue Jays intentionally walked Alvarez to load the bases with two outs in the fourth. Diaz fouled out to end the inning.
“I tell you what, it’s tough to pitch to him right now,” Espada said of Alvarez. “I don’t blame Schneider for intentionally walking him. Right now he’s on fire.”
Alvarez was hit by pitches in the sixth and ninth innings.
ROSTER MOVES
Blue Jays: Jansen was activated off the paternity list and catcher Brian Serven was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: Shortstop Bo Bichette was scratched from the lineup because of a right forearm contusion. The two-time AL hit leader struck out on a pitch that hit him in the arm on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Astros: Espada said RHP reliever Shawn Dubin will start Friday’s game at Minnesota. RHP Pablo López (8-6, 4.88 ERA) is scheduled for the Twins.
Blue Jays: RHP Kevin Gausman (6-7, 4.75 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday against Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (6-9, 3.87) in the opener of a three-game series at Seattle.
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
97842238 1705590276815?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=56A8PBYKNQloVNcH5PEQFWBn7lU6Dw64Q0bG1FknnSkValentines Kiss Day 2023.webp1335489 Kiss Day.webpHappy Kiss Day 2022 Types 16446552794x3 ?impolicy=website&width=640&height=480Kissing Day 2023 Health Benefits ?impolicy=website&width=0&height=0S Cd9c34fa355619103423f45fab624d0b91b776ef Kiss Messages 1024x576 262496 Kiss Day.webpKissing Day 1688554632 Dream Of Kissing 1024x536 Maxresdefault 1405836a73b9f008668f688e75f77584 Cassie Lopez 4Af9 WqBO7I Unsplash (1) 1657081148974 1657081160648 Msid 97867393,width 900,height 460,resizemode 4.cms2a95fa67a10127c5f41b91f58b6a59ba Types Of Kisses 73e2ea8d2c4cea25b34f7b23078fb2931676255117112224 Original ?impolicy=abp Cdn&imwidth=120095d46b93a1b55365fb40114923b5f823 4bfcfe26b6524002d6de4db35f6c2136 12 4 Jpg.webp1362890 Kissing Day.webp7079417 Untitled Design 2023 02 13t135236605 1 6.webp4981a364233e96b1047d3675a9f0ecf1167626024449176 Original ?impolicy=abp Cdn&imwidth=120023b8ba8f5998ae6782441bd5e238befc 97869843 Gunjan Thenewspocket 2023 02 07T112618.637 Hqdefault ?sqp= OaymwEcCOADEI4CSFXyq4qpAw4IARUAAIhCGAFwAcABBg==&rs=AOn4CLBkoKXGtKO6Xeh AfbBstdjXp9N WKissing 63e9db024819b Kiss Day 2023 Heres Everything You Need To Know Kiss 1676261994 1681299647 412409 1681299914 Rrss Normal What Does It Mean When You Get A Kiss On The Cheek After A First Date