Ronel Blanco wins after suspension

OAKLAND – Ronel Blanco showed no signs of rust in his return from a 10-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s foreign substance policy.

Blanco, in his first start since May 14 – when he was ejected after three scoreless innings against the A’s at Minute Maid Park when umpires found a sticky substance in his glove – went seven innings with one run in Sunday’s 5-2 win at the Coliseum.

“I really wasn’t focused on (the suspension),” Blanco said through team interpreter Jenloy Herrera. “I was mostly focused on coming here and doing my job. Trying to make my shots and help the team win.”

Although Blanco continued to play when he was not allowed to pitch, holding bullpen sessions and live batting practice in Houston, manager Joe Espada expected the 30-year-old right-hander to be somewhat limited when he returned. Blanco had 85 pitches in six innings, about the range Espada had targeted before the game.

However, Blanco exceeded expectations by coming back for the seventh inning and throwing 104 pitches in his longest start since his no-hitter against the Blue Jays on April 1. In total, he struck out six against one walk and allowed just one run on four hits.

“He was still in control of the game,” Espada said of the seventh inning. “For me, it was more his physical condition. And he was still strong, he was still feeling good. It was just a matter of keeping an eye on him and making sure he was still clear and still making his throws.”

The Astros improved their record to 8-1 in Blanco’s starts this season, and he lowered his ERA to 1.99. His .174 opponent batting average ranks third among all qualified major league starters.

“He’s done that all year,” said right fielder Kyle Tucker, who set an Astros record for most home runs in the club’s first 53 games with his 18th home run in a five-run fourth inning, tying the MLB for the most. “We’re happy to have him back out there on the mound for us.”

Because Houston uses a six-man rotation over a 30-day, 29-game stretch, Blanco missed virtually only one start during his suspension. This long stretch for the Astros ends after 13 straight games without a day off that began with the three-game series in Oakland.

While Blanco’s return is of great importance to the team, questions remain about the state of the rotation.

Other than Framber Valdez, there are no likely starters Monday for the remainder of the upcoming four-game series against the first-place Mariners, who are 3 1/2 games ahead of the Astros in the American League West. Espada said the team will take it “one game at a time.”

The spot after Valdez belongs to Cristian Javier, who missed a scheduled bullpen session Sunday because of forearm discomfort, Espada said. He will be used on a day-to-day basis.

Javier’s velocity had slipped in his last start last Tuesday, when he struggled through four innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and three walks in what eventually led to a 6-5 walk-off victory over the Angels. He had previously spent about three weeks on the injured list with neck discomfort.

The setback for José Urquidy, who nearly came off the 15-day injured list before he had to abandon his rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land last Friday with right forearm discomfort, represents another obstacle to the Astros’ plans.

Urquidy missed the start of the season due to a strain in his right forearm sustained in spring training. After being pulled from his recent rehab start, he is scheduled to undergo additional testing on Tuesday.

“It’s not ideal,” Espada said. “We expected him to come in sometime next week and help us add more depth to our rotation. And it’s unfortunate that happened because he worked so hard to come back.”

The Astros’ six-man rotation gives them options if Javier can’t start Tuesday. The other starters could move up a day — starting with Hunter Brown, who took a step forward in his last outing with six innings of two runs — and essentially start with the usual rest.

With the uncertainty ahead, Houston will be hoping for an opportunity to make up ground in the division after winning two of three games in Oakland.

“This is a big series win,” Espada said. “Now we head to Seattle, and it’s a series we’re all looking forward to.”