Joe Espada will never forget his first win as a major league manager. I mean, how could anyone forget the time that Ronel Blanco threw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays? On April Fools’ Day of all days. If baseball had a scriptwriter, they pulled a most unexpected twist on us. But this performance was definitely not a joke, especially as Blanco attempts to solidify his place on the Astros roster.
So, how did the 30-year-old right-hander accomplish such a feat, especially against a lineup of the ilk like Toronto?
Answer: Lots of changeups.
In all, Blanco threw 36 changeups, or about 34% of the time in his nine innings of work.