Yordan Alvarez connected for two home runs and matched his personal best with four hits, while Cristian Javier and four relievers combined to limit the Toronto Blue Jays to just one hit in an 8-0 victory for the Houston Astros on Wednesday night in the MLB.
Astros Continue to Shine
Javier (1-0) gave up the only hit over five innings before passing the ball to Seth Martinez, Rafael Montero, Tayler Scott and Dylan Coleman, who each pitched an inning without allowing a run.
Alvarez, who had hit just three singles in the first six games, turned in an outstanding performance. This was the 16th multi-homer game in the Cuban slugger's career and the sixth time he compiled four hits in a single game.
Manager Joe Espada expressed his satisfaction with Alvarez's performance, stating, "It was a matter of time. Anytime he can connect some good swings and hit some balls hard, it's a good sign and that's exactly what we needed."
Alvarez attributed his success Wednesday to a simple factor: "I used last year's bats," he said in Spanish through an interpreter.
Despite his two home runs, Alvarez believed that two other hits he connected on had the potential to overtake the fences. "Yeah," he commented. "Welcome to Minute Maid."
This is the second consecutive game in the series where the Blue Jays failed to score, following Ronel Blanco's no-hitter in a 10-0 win Monday night.
Chas! Chas! Chas!
McCormick's single to score Bregman is our @Honda Drive of the Homestand! pic.twitter.com/hzN2tdlRw1
- Houston Astros (@astros) April 4, 2024
Pressure Was Too High For The Tiles
In his second challenging start of the season, the Astros' Bassitt (0-2) faced a relentless barrage of at-bats, giving up nine hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings. This reflected his difficult season debut, where he endured 10 hits and a personal-best nine runs.
Toronto's only hit came from Daulton Varsho, who connected for a double in the second inning. Despite receiving seven base on balls, the Blue Jays struggled to ignite their offense.
Manager John Schneider noted that the team is not making enough of an impact with its hitting at the moment, which has been a recurring theme in this series. He acknowledged that the pitching has been solid, but expressed the need to improve and continue to advance.
Alvarez, who connected on 31 home runs last season, broke the tie with a powerful hit into the right-center bullpen in the third inning. Altuve, after receiving a ticket in the fourth inning, crossed the plate on Alvarez's double, extending Houston's lead to 2-0.
In the fifth inning, consecutive run-scoring singles by Chas McCormick and Pena strengthened the Astros' lead to 4-0. Alvarez's second home run in the sixth inning cemented Houston's dominance, extending the lead to 5-0 as the ball flew into the stands behind the right-center bullpen.
Jeremy Pena's two-run home run and Jose Altuve's solo homer in the seventh inning extended Houston's lead to 8-0.
Pena, with two hits and three RBIs, secured his fourth multi-hit game of the season. Altuve, on the other hand, continued his home run streak, marking his third of the season and second consecutive game with a homer.
