Blue Jays all smiles after bats get job done

HOUSTON -- The Toronto Blue Jays entered Friday’s series opener in Houston looking to build upon their recent success at the plate.

They were playing the ball to the opposite field more -- seeing it deeper and longer -- and that, manager Charlie Montoyo said, was a good sign.

“That’s how it starts,” Montoyo said prior to the game.

Matt Chapman and the Blue Jays made sure to keep their eyes on the ball -- and keep the big hits coming -- en route to their third-straight win, this one a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

How -- and who they did it against -- was just as noteworthy. Chapman drove in the game-winner for a second consecutive game, this time breaking the tie by plating Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on a sharp line drive to left-center field on a 2-2 count off Astros reliever Héctor Neris in the ninth inning.

“[Neris] came back with a fastball, and I feel like I was able to stay nice and short to it,” Chapman said of his third double of the season. “I wasn’t really trying to do too much; I just wanted to extend the inning.

“Luckily, I was able to find that gap, and Vladi was on his horse, so it was nice to get that run.”

Chapman was hardly overstating his teammate's flight around the bases. Per Statcast, Guerrero reached a sprint speed of 27.2 feet per second when running home all the way from first base.

The Toronto bats fully awoke in the fifth. With the Blue Jays down 3-1, Santiago Espinal and Bradley Zimmer each belted out their first homers of the season, stunning Minute Maid Park with back-to-back solo shots on consecutive pitches off Astros starter and future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander.

But the Blue Jays had promise at the plate from the start, making Verlander work to the tune of 34 pitches after the first two innings.

“We made him work more today,” Montoyo said of Verlander. “Of course, that guy is one of the best pitchers in baseball. But credit to our hitters today, because the approach was better, and we scored [three] runs against him.”

It was all the more notable given Verlander has been outstanding for Houston since his return from Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss virtually all of the 2020 and 2021 seasons. That, and the fact that Verlander no-hit Toronto in their previous meeting back in September of 2019.

Asked afterward if the pitches to Espinal and Zimmer were executed well, Verlander, who went six innings, owned up to Espinal’s homer but hinted frustration at Zimmer’s shot, which traveled only 334 feet to a seating area known as the Crawford Boxes.

“The fastball [to Espinal], no,” Verlander said. “The Crawford Box special, yeah. Backdoor curveball [to Zimmer], placed pretty well.”

Per Statcast, Minute Maid Park is the only Major League ballpark in which Zimmer’s shot would have been a home run.

Nonetheless, the hits validated a formidable defensive showing and five shutout innings by the Toronto relievers, who were well-rested thanks to Kevin Gausman’s eight strong innings in Thursday’s 3-2 win at Boston.

Toronto starter Ross Stripling pitched two strong innings before giving up three earned runs in the third. The right-hander lasted four innings.

“I think that’s as good as stuff as I’ve maybe ever had,” Stripling said. “The slider was really good, everything was working. The first two innings were good.

“I was proud of the way I battled. I’m glad they let me go out there in the fourth and finish on a good note. And then our bullpen continued to do their job with five scoreless innings.”

On this night, everything seemed to click for the Blue Jays, and that had Montoyo grinning from ear to ear.

“I’m so happy I’m smiling,” Montoyo said. “Not because we’re winning, but we’re playing good defense and we’re pitching, and that’s how you’re going to win. Of course, everybody talks about our hitting, but as you guys know, it’s tough to hit.

“But if we keep doing what we’re doing, I feel good about this team.”