Garcia Awesome Again! Astros Take Jays 6 - 3

Luis Garcia continued his recent excellence today by shutting down the potent Blue Jays lineup, as the Astros took the Blue Jays 6-3. It was another series win for the Astros who took two of three from the Jays, after taking three of four from the Red Sox in the previous series.

Garcia only needed 79 pitches to complete six innings of one-run ball but he was removed anyway. Is it because with the recent dominance of the Astros starting pitching, manager Dusty Bake wanted to give the bullpen some extra work?

The only run off Garcia came in the second inning on a leadoff single, a walk, a grounder, and a sacrifice fly. He allowed only three hits, two walks, and struck out eight. He threw 56 strikes, 16 of them whiffs.

The Astros started the scoring yet again with a Jose Altuve leadoff homer, his fifth of the season.

A Chaz McCormick homer accounted for the Astros’ second run in the second inning.

In the third inning, Kyle Tucker singled home two, following an Alex Bregman double, a Yordan Alvarez walk, and Yuli Gurriel single to load the bases.

The Astros added insurance in the seventh after a Gurriel single, a Tucker single, and a Chas McCormick walk loaded the bases. The run scored on a two-out grounder to first by Martin Maldonado that was misplayed, allowing a run to score on the error.

The Astros’ final scoring play was a Yuli Gurriel single in the eighth, which scored Alex Bregman, who had doubled earlier.

After the departure of Garcia, Brooks Raley threw a scoreless seventh inning, but the Jays were able to take advantage of wildness by Ryne Stanek in the eighth. Stanek opened the inning with a hit by pitch to Marcus Semien, followed by a single to Bo Bichette, and a walk to Vlad Guerrero to load the bases.

The Jays scored two on a Teo Hernandez groundout/fielder’s choice, and a Randal Grichuk single.

Coming in for the first time in four games closer Ryan Pressly saved the game with a scoreless, hitless ninth inning.

The Astros send Framber Valdez to the mound Tuesday in Boston.

Game time 6:10 CDT.

Box score and videos HERE.