TORONTO (AP) — With an assist from the broadcast booth, the Houston Astros battered R.A. Dickey's knuckleball on Thursday night.
Robbie Grossman and Jonathan Villar homered off Dickey and the Astros avoided a three-game sweep, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4.
The Astros prepared to face Dickey by taking swings in an indoor cage before the game against former major league knuckleballer Steve Sparks, now a Houston radio announcer.
It's the same strategy manager Bo Porter employed before his team faced Dickey in Toronto last July 27. In that game, Houston had five runs and seven hits off Dickey in six innings, but couldn't hold a lead and lost 12-6.
"I think it always helps," Porter said. "It's not every day that you face knuckleball pitchers. We are fortunate to have Steve come out and be willing to get in the cage. I think it paid dividends today."
Villar hit a three-run homer, Grossman had a two-run shot and Jason Castro added a solo shot as the Astros won for just the second time in eight games.
Dallas Keuchel pitched seven strong innings for the Astros. Keuchel (1-1) allowed one run and five hits, walked two and struck out six.
"He was outstanding," Porter said. "He did a really good job of attacking the strike zone."
Keuchel has pitched at least seven innings in all three career starts against Toronto.
"The high fastball was working for me today," the left-hander said. "I wasn't really trying to mix and match, I was just trying to attack."