Yainer Diaz’s three-run homer backs Ronel’s eight-inning, two hit masterpiece.
It’s darkest right before the dawn.
It was a dark and stormy night last night, watching the once great Lance McCullers suffer shellshock in his second outing after his two-year hiatus. If the possibility that this Astros legend’s career was over after yesterday’s performance didn’t at least cross your mind, then you’re not thinking.
On the other hand, today, hope was renewed. Ronel Blanco, whose early-season and Spring Training performances made us think his 2024 success was a one-hit-wonder fluke, showed that he still has the right stuff to utterly suffocate bats.
Except for his first start of 2024, a no-hitter, Blanco’s start today was the best of his career and gave his team a much-needed eight innings of two-hit, shutout ball, amassing a career high 11 strikeouts. His 88 game score was stratospheric.
Speaking of the dawning light, Yainer Diaz’s three-homer in the third inning was all the run support Blanco would need on this Mother’s Day. Diaz’s first career homer was on Mother’s Day two years ago, and his homer today extended his hit streak to nine games.
Diaz started 2025 stuck in a black hole. His OPS in March/April was an abysmal .515. Before today, in May, it was a brilliant .974.
Making Mama Diaz proud!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/wY4jIgaFiZ
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 11, 2025
The Astros piled on in the fourth after two walks and a single chased Reds starter Chase Petty and netted another run on a Christian Walker sac fly.
Walker added two more runs in the sixth on a two-run single.
Before today’s 2 for 2 day, Christian Walkers’ wRC+ has improved almost 20 points from April to May, from 83 to 102, helping Astros fans to overcome their strong case of Jose Abreu PTSD.
The Astros take on the Kansas City Royals tomorrow 7:10 CT at Daikin Park.