"I really wasn't focused on the suspension" - Ronel Blanco shines on his return as Astros clinch series victory against Athletics

Ronel Blanco and the Houston Astros made it nine wins in their last 13 games with a 5-2 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. The Astros starter was the star on the night for his dominant performance from the mound.

It was redemption for Blanco at the Oakland Coliseum as the Dominican pitcher, who was banned for 10 games after alleged use of a sticky substance during a game against the Athletics on May 14, guided his team to victory against the same team on his return.

Ronel Blanco pitched seven innings, allowing four hits and striking out six hitters. Despite a 10-game ban and the controversy surrounding his alleged use of a foreign substance during a game, Blanco remained unfazed.

"I really wasn't focused on [the suspension]," Blanco said via an interpreter per MLB.com. "I was mostly just focused on coming here and doing my job. Try and throw my pitches and try to help the team win."

Ronel Blanco's outing after his ban surprised a few as the Dominican pitcher did not show any signs of rust apart from conceding a solo home run to Max Schuemann. He went 104 pitches long on the night of his return, his second-longest start of the season.

"He was still in command of the game," Astros manager Joe Espada said of the seventh inning. "For me, it was more how he felt physically. And he was still strong, he still felt good. It was just a matter of keeping an eye on him and making sure that his stuff was still crisp and he was still executing his pitches."

Ronel Blanco's return boosts Astros' resurgence after underwhelming start

Ronel Blanco has played a crucial part in the Astros' upturn over the last four weeks as the team improved to an 8-1 record in games Blanco has started. The 30-year-old's consistency has provided much-needed relief for manager Joe Espada who is sweating on the fitness of several arms in his rotation.

Astros' home run leader Kyle Tucker praised the pitcher for his performance on his return, saying:

"He's been doing that all year. We're happy to have him back and out there on the mound for us again."

Tucker played a crucial role in his team's victory in the rubber game as the two-time All-Star smoked a two-run homer in the fourth inning to top the MLB charts for home runs this season. He became the fastest Astros player to reach 18 home runs, in just 53 games, to start the season.