Ronel Blanco pitched the 17th no-hitter in Astros history while Kyle Tucker and Yainer Diaz recorded multi-homer games as Houston pounded out a 10-0 victory over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
Blanco (1-0) issued a leadoff walk to George Springer in the first inning before retiring 26 consecutive batters. Springer walked with two outs in the ninth, but Blanco recovered to induce a game-ending groundout from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., completing the first no-hitter in the majors this season.
Blanco said through an interpreter on Space City Home Network of the last out, “I’m very excited. I couldn’t believe it. A very happy moment for me.”
Making just his eighth career start and 25th appearance, Blanco handcuffed the Blue Jays with a three-pitch mix of sliders, changeups and four-seam fastballs. Blanco threw 36 changeups, 34 sliders and 31 fastballs, topping out at 95.1 mph with the four-seamer. He induced 10 swings-and-misses with the changeup and another eight with his slider. He also threw four curveballs.
“That was the plan to utilize (the changeup), and it worked very well,” he said.
He tossed 105 pitches, 73 for strikes, and finished with seven strikeouts against the two walks to Springer.
In the past week, Blanco learned that he made the Houston rotation and became father to a girl.
“It’s all very good,” he said. “Obviously thanking God for this blessing, and I dedicate this game to God and my daughter.”
Blanco struck out the side in the fourth, retiring Guerrero, Justin Turner and Daulton Varsho.
Houston has thrown four of the majors’ past seven no-hitters, including one in the 2022 World Series. Framber Valdez tossed the Astros’ most recent no-no before Monday, beating the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 last Aug. 1.
Toronto was no-hit last July 8, a combination effort by three Detroit Tigers in a 2-0 defeat.
The Astros were quick to pounce on Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis (0-1), with Tucker and Diaz homering as part of a three-run first inning. Francis alternated strikeouts among the six batters he faced in the frame, but Jose Altuve singled, Tucker hit a two-run shot to left-center field, and Diaz upped the lead to 3-0 with his blast to left-center.
Houston extended that margin to 4-0 with one out in the second when Jeremy Pena clubbed his first home run since July 5, a solo shot to left-center.
Chas McCormick stroked the first of his two doubles off Francis with one out in the fourth and later scored when Jake Meyers delivered an RBI single.
Pena chased Francis in the sixth with a double that scored Jose Abreu and McCormick. Francis allowed seven runs on 10 hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
Tucker and Diaz both homered again in the seventh, with Tucker driving home Yordan Alvarez.
The Astros last had two players record multi-homer games in the same contest on Sept. 5, 2023, at Texas when Altuve slugged three homers and Martin Maldonado went deep twice against the Rangers.
–Field Level Media
