Brandon Morrow strikes out 9 in 6 innings, Edwin Encarnacion

Astros 3 Blue Jays 7

This was the most runs the Jays scored this year, and all it took was facing a pretty lousy starting pitcher. Lucas Harrell didn't impress, though his defense didn't help him out.

On offense there was lots of good news, we had 10 hits in all (I think the most hits we've had this year), plus 5 walks. Two hits each from Melky Cabrera, Maicer Izturis and Dioner Navarro. Jose Bautista, Adam Lind, Colby Rasmus and Brett Lawrie (his first home run of the the year, let's hope that gets him going) each had one hit.

Edwin Encarnacion was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts and Ryan Goins was 0 for 3, but took a walk. Unfortunately, Ryan was quickly picked off first base. If it is only your second time on base, in your team's 9th game, you can't be getting yourself picked off. It was a pretty close play, but still, that can't happen. I'd like to be patient with Ryan, but I'm really thinking he could go back to Buffalo when Reyes is ready to come back, unless he turns it around soon. Kevin Seitzer is going to regret making him his star pupil.

We scored a couple of runs in the first. Izturis singled, Bautista doubled him home and Lind singled to score Jose.

The Astros helped us to 3 more runs in the 5th. Cabrera singled and stole second, Izturis singled him home. Bautista walked. After Edwin struck out the Astros walked Lind to load the bases. I'm not a big fan on intentional walks, but this one almost worked out. Navarro hit a ground ball to third, a pretty easy double play ball, but Matt Dominguez threw the ball into right field and we scored two more runs. Dominguez would make another throwing error in the 6th, but we didn't score that time.

In the 7th, Navarro singled (and stole a base! If he can steal a base, how come Rasmus can't?). Brett Lawrie followed with his first home run of the season.

Brandon Morrow pitched 5 great innings. Unfortunately he ran into some troubles in the 6th, allowing a 2-run home run and a triple, and 3 runs. It looked to me like he was tiring. In the first 5 innings he allowed just 2 singles and a walk, while striking out 9 Astros. He looked like the Morrow of old (well, just 2 or 3 years ago). All it took was Nick writing a post talking about how he doesn't strike guys out any more. Poor Nick is going to get a complex.

Neil Wagner threw 2 perfect innings, getting 3 strikeouts. I'm glad he was back.

Steve Delabar started the 9th and took a hard ground ball of the leg, he had to come out of the game, but apparently he's just bruised. He likely will be kept out of tomorrow's game but should be ok after that. Esmil Rogers got the last two outs.

The Jays are now 5-4 and sitting in first in the AL East.  Let's enjoy the moment.

Tomorrow R.A. Dickey gets to try to get us 2 games above .500. Dallas Keuchel starts for the Astros. He had a rough time in his first start of the season, allowing 8 hits, 4 earned, 2 walks with 5 strikeouts, in 5 innings against the Angels.

Jays of the Day are Morrow (.165 WPA), Wagner (.099) and Bautista (.126). I'm going to give Navarro an honorary mention for his first stolen base since 2009 (he stole 5 bases that year, his career high).

No Suckage Jay but I'm going to give Goins a dishonorable mention for getting picked off.

We had 1467 comments in our game threads. e&n4e (I wonder what that stands for?) led the way with 126 comments. Great job.