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Astros 8, Blue Jays 4: Keuchel Wins Again As Team Hits Three More Bombs

Eleven hits and eight runs provides more than enough cushion for Keuchel and bullpen to beat Toronto.

By erniebreakfast
Scott Halleran/Getty Images

In a couple of innings last night Dallas Keuchel looked more human than he has most of the season.  Even with that, he was really good most of the night, and with the offense the Astros had he didn't have to be perfect.  Eleven hits (including another 3 home runs) gave him his fifth win of the season, and extend the team winning streak to 3 games.

Houston put 3 runs up in the 2nd inning.  Evan Gattis started the inning with a single.  With one out Preston Tucker hit a double to move Gattis to third, and would later score on a Chris Carter sacrifice fly.  Marwin Gonzalez drove in Tucker with a single and scored on the Jake Marisnick single that followed.

Keuchel looked great in the first two innings allowing no baserunners while getting three groundouts and three strikouts.  The Blue Jays picked up a run in the third when they led off the inning with a single and a walk.  Josh Donaldson's infield single provided the RBI.  The Astros would get that run back in the bottom of the inning as George Springer mashed a homer just to the left of the home team bullpen to make the score 4-1.  They would add to the lead in the next inning when Jose Altuve hit one out with 2 on to give them a 7-1 lead.

Keuchel got roughed around a bit in the 6th.  Danny Valencia drove in 2 with a double and Chris Colabello drove in Valencia to cut the lead to 7-4.  Keuchel was able to work out of the jam after that, but the next inning he allowed the first 2 batters to reach.  He was pulled in favor of Will Harris.  All Harris did was shut down the heart of the Jays order with 2 strikeouts sandwiched around a pop-up to strand both runners.

Luis Valbuena would add an insurance run in the 7th with his team leading 9th home run of the season.  The bullpen continued its success as Chad Qualls and Josh Fields pitched the final two innings without allowing a baserunner to seal the victory.  Assured of at least a split in this series, the Astros will take the field for game 3 against Toronto tonight just after 6pm.  Scott Feldman will take the ball for Houston, and Marco Estrada will do the same for the Blue Jays.

Fun Facts

Tucker had 2 doubles for the second night in a row.

Keuchel has now won his first 5 decisions of the season.  Last pitcher for the Astros to do that?  According to ESPN it was Roger Clemens (won his first 9 in 2004).

Altuve already has 5 home runs on the season.  He had 7 total in 2014.

Tweet of the Night

LOVE IT!  KEEP IT UP JON!

I wonder if he uses Fop, or if he is a Dapper Dan man...

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