MLB roundup: Astros' Ronel Blanco flirts with no-hitter in win over Tigers

Ronel Blanco delivered an exceptional performance on the mound, pitching seven no-hit innings against the Detroit Tigers. His dominant outing was complemented by Jose Altuve's three-run home run, leading the Houston Astros to a 4-1 victory in the decisive game of their series.

Blanco, who has been having a breakout season, came close to achieving his second no-hitter of the year. He previously accomplished the feat against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 1, allowing no hits while recording seven strikeouts and two walks. This time, he continued his dominance against the Tigers, retiring the first 14 batters he faced, including eight strikeouts.

In the fifth inning, Blanco issued a two-out walk to Gio Urshela, breaking his streak of perfection. He then walked Akil Baddoo and Carson Kelly, loading the bases. However, Blanco managed to escape the jam as Zach McKinstry flied out to shallow center, ending the threat.

It was in the eighth inning that the Tigers finally broke the no-hit bid. Wenceel Perez, a rookie right fielder, delivered a two-out single to center off Astros reliever Ryan Pressly.

Despite the late hit, Houston's closer Josh Hader held his ground in the ninth inning. He did surrender an RBI double to pinch hitter Andy Ibanez, but ultimately secured the win for the Astros.

On the other side, Detroit's starter Kenta Maeda struggled, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks over five innings. The Astros took advantage of his performance to secure the victory.

In another game, the Tampa Bay Rays managed to salvage a win in their series against the Atlanta Braves. Jose Siri's two-run home run in the ninth inning proved to be the difference-maker, lifting the Rays to an 8-6 victory. Tampa Bay's closer, Pete Fairbanks, pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 10th save of the season.

The Baltimore Orioles secured an 8-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in the final game of their three-game series. Gunnar Henderson kicked off the game with a home run in the first inning, followed by home runs from Colton Cowser, Adley Rutschman, and Jordan Westburg in the early innings.

This made it a challenging game for Phillies' starting pitcher Zack Wheeler. On the pitching side, Corbin Burnes delivered a strong performance for the Orioles, pitching six innings and allowing only two runs on seven hits.

Alec Bohm stood out for the Phillies, going 3-for-4 and driving in two runs. The Orioles' win was a result of their impressive hitting display and solid pitching from Burnes.

The Nationals defeated the Marlins 3-1 with Mitchell Parker pitching six solid innings. Parker allowed one run on six hits, striking out four without issuing a walk. Lane Thomas and Jacob Young hit solo home runs for Washington.

Marlins' starter Jesus Luzardo gave up two runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Jazz Chisholm Jr. drove in Miami's only run.

The Toronto Blue Jays emerged victorious with a score of 7-6 against the Cleveland Guardians. Daulton Varsho's grand slam and Ernie Clement's two-run home run contributed to Toronto's win.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had an impressive performance with three hits and a walk. Starting pitcher Jose Berrios allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings.

On the other side, Daniel Schneemann and Brayan Rocchio both hit two-run home runs for the Guardians. Steven Kwan had a remarkable game, going 4-for-5 with four singles and an RBI, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Ben Lively was charged with four runs on six hits over four-plus innings.