Happ helps Jays take three of four in Houston
HOUSTON -- J.A. Happ pitched six strong innings, and after slugging six home runs over the first three games of the series, the Toronto Blue Jays manufactured their way to a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday night at Minute Maid Park.
Happ allowed one run on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts. He capped a stellar four-game series for Toronto starters, as Marcus Stroman, R.A. Dickey, Marco Estrada and Happ (15-3) issued two walks in 27 innings.
Toronto won the final three contests against the Astros.
Houston (56-52) lost for the eighth time in 10 games and scored one run for a third consecutive contest. The Astros clustered their two extra-base hits in the fifth inning, as Tyler White drove home Evan Gattis with a double three batters after Gattis doubled to open the inning.
Toronto (62-47) claimed the series by scoring on a first-inning groundout, a fifth-inning wild pitch and an eighth-inning single through a drawn-in infield before designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion clubbed his 30th home run leading off the ninth. Encarnacion homered off Astros right-hander James Hoyt.
Astros right-hander Mike Fiers (7-5) lasted six innings, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out seven. He didn't issue a walk.
Fiers produced his third consecutive quality start despite falling behind just three batters into the game courtesy of Devon Travis' leadoff double and an RBI groundout from Josh Donaldson.
When Travis scored, it marked the first time during the series that the Blue Jays recorded a run without doing so via a solo home run.
Fiers settled in quickly, retiring 12 consecutive batters through the close of the third inning. However, his inability to harness his arsenal proved costly in the fourth, with two wild pitches yielding a second Toronto run.
The Blue Jays maximized an infield single from Russell Martin, who advanced to second base on a wild pitch and reached third when Troy Tulowitzki slapped a single to left. Fiers rallied to strike out Justin Smoak, but the final pitch of that at-bat bounced away from catcher Gattis, enabling Martin to score as the Blue Jays took a 2-0 lead.
NOTES: After contemplating transitioning RHP Aaron Sanchez to the bullpen, the Blue Jays instead opted to utilize a six-man rotation through the end of this month. Toronto acquired LHP Francisco Liriano from the Pirates on Monday and the veteran will start Friday night at Kansas City. Sanchez will follow on Saturday. The club will re-evaluate the arrangement in September. ... Astros INF Marwin Gonzalez remains hampered by a right hand/wrist injury that bothers him when he swings right-handed. Gonzalez was out of the lineup against Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ, but should be able to start against Rangers LHP Martin Perez on Friday night. ... Blue Jays SS Troy Tulowitzki was back in the starting lineup after missing the first three games of the series with a chip fracture in his right thumb. Tulowitzki suffered the injury after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning on Sunday against the Orioles.