Houston right-hander Ronel Blanco continued his impressive pitching performance by allowing just one hit over six scoreless innings as the Astros defeated the Texas Rangers 3-1 on Sunday night. Blanco, who threw a no-hitter in his previous start against Toronto, held the Rangers hitless until Adolis García's single in the sixth inning.
Blanco, who described his pitching as an 'invisi-ball' that baffled hitters, expressed confidence in his hard work paying off. Yordan Alvarez contributed to the Astros' victory with a three-run homer in the third inning, following consecutive walks issued by Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning.
Despite Blanco's dominant performance, the Rangers managed to score a run in the ninth inning off Astros reliever Josh Hader. However, Hader closed out the game on his 30th birthday to secure his first save since joining Houston.
The Astros, off to a slow start this season with a 3-7 record, faced a tough Rangers team that had won three consecutive games prior to the matchup. Texas, leading the AL West with a 6-3 record, saw their winning streak come to an end against Blanco's stellar pitching.
Blanco's exceptional outing included four strikeouts and four walks, extending his scoreless innings streak to 15 this season. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy praised Blanco's performance, acknowledging the challenge he presented to their lineup.
On the injury front, Astros pitcher Justin Verlander made progress in his rehabilitation start with Triple-A Sugar Land, while Rangers reliever Josh Sborz was placed on the injured list due to a right rotator cuff strain.
The series finale will feature a matchup of left-handed starters, with Framber Valdez taking the mound for the Astros against Andrew Heaney of the Rangers.
Overall, Blanco's dominant pitching display and Alvarez's timely hitting propelled the Astros to victory, showcasing their resilience after a slow start to the season.
