HOUSTON — Carlos Correa stroked a walk-off double to the right-center-field gap, scoring Jose Altuve and lifting the Houston Astros to a 2-1, 14-inning win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night at Minute Maid Park.
After Altuve opened the 14th with a walk off Blue Jays right-hander Scott Feldman (5-4), acquired from Houston earlier Monday, Correa followed with his first hit in six plate appearances.
The Astros (56-49) snapped a three-game losing skid thanks to brilliant relief work from right-handers Chris Devenski, who struck out seven over 4 1/3 perfect innings, and Michael Feliz (7-1), who pitched a perfect 14th.
Altuve launched a 1-2 curveball from Toronto right-hander Marcus Stroman 362 feet to left-center field in the fifth, his 19th home run. That looked to be enough run support for Doug Fister before Houston closer Will Harris came unglued again in the ninth.
Fister allowed four hits and walked one batter while striking out eight, making a start despite his wife being on the brink of delivering the couple’s first child. Fister was set to temporarily cede his spot in the rotation to rookie right-hander Joe Musgrove, but when it was clear that labor wasn’t imminent, Fister took his turn and pitched exceptionally.
However, after Astros right-hander Ken Giles eluded danger in the eighth inning, stranding two baserunners to preserve the one-run lead, Harris fell behind 3-0 to Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin before surrendering a game-tying home run with the count full.
It marked the third blown save in five opportunities for Harris since his first All-Star Game appearance.
Stroman was no slouch, recording a career-high 13 strikeouts against just one walk. Two of the three hits he allowed were singles, yet it was the Altuve blast that proved critical given the effectiveness of Fister.
If Fister was distracted by pending fatherhood, he didn’t pitch like it.
Although he retired the side in order only once, doing so in the first inning, he pitched with impressive effectiveness with runners on base. The Blue Jays finished 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position against Fister, leaving Devon Travis and Edwin Encarnacion stranded at second base in the third and fourth innings, respectively.
Toronto managed a leadoff baserunner in the second, fourth and sixth innings, and Fister managed each situation with aplomb, recovering to retire the ensuing three batters in order. When Jose Bautista reached via walk in the sixth, Fister followed by striking out Encarnacion, Michael Saunders and Russell Martin to cap his outing with a flourish.
Through five innings, Stroman met the challenge of matching zeros with Fister, capping the fifth with a strikeout of Jason Castro — his ninth of the contest. Stroman retired Castro with Tyler White on second base, with White becoming just the second batter to reach safely.
Stroman struck out four consecutive batters at one stretch, fanning the side in the fourth and seventh innings.
NOTES: Toronto acquired LHP Francisco Liriano (6-11, 5.46 ERA) from the Pirates, and RHPs Scott Feldman (5-3, 2.90 ERA) and Mike Bolsinger (1-4, 6.83 ERA) from the Astros and Dodgers, respectively. Liriano will slot near the front of the rotation and allow the club to transition RHP Aaron Sanchez (11-1, 2.71 ERA) to the bullpen. Toronto surrendered a low-level prospect for Feldman and RHP Jesse Chavez in exchange for Bolsinger while also adding two prospects from the Pirates — C Reese McGuire and OF Harold Ramirez. … Houston sent RHP Josh Fields to the Dodgers for minor league INF/OF Yordan Alvarez. … The Astros recalled RHP Joe Musgrove from Triple-A Fresno, where he was 5-3 with a 3.81 ERA in 10 starts. … The Blue Jays reinstated INF Ryan Goins (forearm) from the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Bo Schultz from Triple-A Buffalo while placing OF Ezequiel Carrera (Achilles) on the DL and designating LHP Franklin Morales for assignment.