This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Alex Bregman clubbed a two-run, seventh-inning homer in support of Ronel Blanco, who recorded a quality start while lifting the Houston Astros to a 4-3 victory over the visiting Miami Marlins on Tuesday.
The Astros capitalized on a throwing error by Marlins shortstop Xavier Edwards in the bottom of the seventh, a misplay that enabled Chas McCormick to reach with one out in a tie game.
After Jose Altuve lined up and McCormick stole second, Bregman golfed an inside changeup from Marlins reliever Huascar Brazoban (1-2) out to left field. His 11th home run put Houston up 4-2.
McCormick served as the linchpin from the bottom of the order. His two-out RBI single off Marlins left-hander Trevor Rogers knotted the score at 1-1 in the second, and McCormick swiped second base and scored on a Bregman single with two outs in the fifth.
Blanco (9-3) was exceptional save for a pair of solo home runs. He retired 17 consecutive batters during one stretch.
The Marlins had seized a 1-0 lead when Jazz Chisholm Jr. struck a leadoff homer in the first, his 11th long ball of the year, to right field. Bryan De La Cruz immediately followed with a single, but Miami did not manage another baserunner until De La Cruz worked a two-out walk in the sixth.
Blanco struck out six batters during that span and recorded a called third strike on Bell following the De La Cruz walk to cap the sixth. However, he surrendered his 2-1 lead when Jesus Sanchez opened the seventh with his 10th homer, a 344-foot shot into the Crawford Boxes in left.
Blanco ended his outing by inducing an inning-ending double play from Nick Gordon. The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
The Marlins did not go quietly. Chisholm slapped a two-out single into center off Astros reliever Bryan Abreu in the eighth, swiped second base, and scored when De La Cruz followed with a sharp single to left.
Miami mustered more traffic in the ninth against Astros closer Josh Hader, who notched his 16th save when he struck out pinch hitter Emmanuel Rivera with the tying run on first base.
–Field Level Media
