Yordan Alvarez Breaks Out. Slugs Stros to 8-0 Win

Cristian Javier hurls a five inning shutout

It’s feast or famine with the Astros offensively.

Tonight, it was feast. Yordan Alvarez finally broke out, like we knew he would, going 4-5 with a single, a double, two homers, and three RBI. Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena added homers, and Kyle Tucker, Yainer Diaz, and Chas Mccormick added multiple hits to the Astros total of 15.

At first, it looked like the Astros were up to their old trick of stranding runners in scoring position. Although the Astros scored first on Yordan Alvarez’s first homer of the season, they missed several opportunities early to put away Jays start Chris Bassitt.

In the first inning, the Astros stranded a runner on second with one out, and after a Yainer Diaz single loaded the bases, Jon Singleton stranded the runners with a well-hit flyout to left field.

In the third inning Chas McCormick stranded the bases loaded with a flyout to center.

However, in the fourth Alvarez struck again, this time doubling home Jose Altuve from first base with two outs, making the score 2-0.

In the fifth, the Astros added two more runs, starting with an Alex Bregman walk and singles by Diaz, Chas McCormick, and Jeremy Pena.

In the sixth inning, Alvarez proved his early game breakout was for real, hitting his second homer of the game, a solo shot that made the score 5-0.

The Astros piled on in the seventh, adding two more with a Jeremy Pena two-run shot to the gas pump, followed by an Altuve solo shot.

Of course, on only the second time this season when the offense broke out, Astros pitching produced its second shutout.

Cristian Javier continued the Astros’ rotation’s string of good to outstanding starts since the opening day egg laid by Framber Valdez. Although Javier was “just a little bit” wild, walking five in five innings, he allowed only one hit and no runs.

The Blue Jays only managed to score two runs in 27 innings in this series, all those in Tuesday’s ninth inning.

Seth Martinez, Rafael Montero, Tay Scott, and Dylan Coleman finished the win for the Astros.

(Even the bullpen came through tonight. Things are looking up)

Astros off tomorrow.

Box score HERE.