Taylor Jones roped doubles in consecutive at-bats and the Houston Astros claimed the opener of a two-game interleague series against the visiting Colorado Rockies 5-0 Tuesday.
Five Astros pitched combined on a five-hit shutout.
Astros right-hander Jake Odorizzi (5-6) took a step toward reclaiming the form he showed prior to the All-Star break, tossing five shutout innings. He gave up three hits and two walks while fanning three.
In his last five apperances before the Midsummer Classic, Odorizzi was 2-1 with a 1.04 ERA. In his first four starts since the season resumed, he was 1-2 with an 8.82 ERA, having surrendered eight home runs in 16 1/3 innings during that stretch.
Cristian Javier, Blake Taylor, Yimi Garcia and Pedro Baez handled the final four innings out of the Houston bullpen.
Jones' two-run double with two outs in the fourth inning capped a three-run uprising against Rockies right-hander Jon Gray (7-8).
Gray had six strikeouts on his ledger entering the fourth but surrendered a pair of baserunners before Chas McCormick and Jones delivered in succession with two outs. McCormick plated Aledmys Diaz with his RBI single to center field before Jones doubled home Carlos Correa and McCormick to extend the Houston lead to 3-0.
The Astros chased Gray four batters into the fifth inning.
Jose Altuve reached when Gray hit him with a pitch to open the frame, and Michael Brantley followed with a double to the base of the right-center-field wall.
Gray allowed four runs on six hits on 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out nine.
Altuve affixed a tidy bow on the final out of Odorizzi's night with a sprawling, diving stop of a Connor Joe grounder up the middle in the fifth. Altuve then delivered an accurate throw to first to end the inning and strand a runner.
With one out in the sixth inning, Jones doubled, and Altuve hit a run-scoring single with two outs.
The Rockies fell to 13-41 away from Denver as they dropped the opener of a six-game road trip.
--Field Level Media
Colorado | Houston | |
Jon Gray | Player | Jake Odorizzi |
Loss | W/L | Win |
4.1 | IP | 5.0 |
9 | Strikeouts | 3 |
6 | Hits | 3 |
8.31 | ERA | 0.00 |
Colorado | Houston | |
Charlie Blackmon | Player | Taylor Jones |
1 | Hits | 2 |
0 | RBI | 2 |
0 | HR | 0 |
1 | TB | 4 |
.333 | Avg | .500 |