Blue Jays Look to Take Series After Shutting Down Houston Bats

The Blue Jays just walked into Minute Maid Park and punched Houston in the mouth, 3-1, and now they've got a real chance to steal a series from the Astros on their home turf. Toronto's pitching staff made Houston's lineup look pedestrian last night, holding them to a single run, and that's the blueprint for anyone trying to beat this Astros squad in August.

Houston's offense has been inconsistent enough that one cold night can snowball into two, especially when confidence takes a hit at home. The Jays, meanwhile, are playing with house money after grabbing the opener—no pressure, just pure aggression. If Toronto's starter can keep the ball down and avoid the big inning, they've got every reason to believe they can duplicate yesterday's formula.

The Astros will be desperate to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole before their own fans, which means we might see some aggressive early swings and lineup shuffling. But desperation doesn't always equal execution, and the Blue Jays have proven they can pitch in this ballpark. Houston needs to wake up those bats fast, or this series could get away from them in a hurry. Toronto smells blood, and that's a dangerous thing in a short series.