Kevin Gausman struck out 10 in seven innings, Santiago Espinal hit the go-ahead single in the seventh and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Houston Astros 3-2 on Sunday.
Bo Bichette hit a two-run home run in support of Gausman (2-1), who allowed two runs on six hits with no walks. Bichette’s homer in the sixth inning was the Blue Jays’ first hit of the game against Astros left-hander Framber Valdez.
Jordan Roman pitched around a double in the ninth to earn his 11th save. Roman had help from a diving catch in right field by George Springer on pinch hitter Alex Bregman.
Houston left-hander Framber Valdez (1-2) allowed three runs (two earned), two hits, two walks and a hit batter in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out two.
Valdez allowed a leadoff walk to Springer in the bottom of the first. The inning ended when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded into a double play.
Gausman pitched around a second-inning single by Kyle Tucker and Bichette’s fourth-inning error on a grounder to shortstop.
Houston’s Niko Goodrum singled with one out in the fifth but was picked off first by catcher Alejandro Kirk.
Valdez retired 12 straight batters before walking Matt Chapman with one out in the fifth.
The Astros’ Chas McCormick tripled to right with one out in the sixth. He held at third on Michael Brantley’s groundout to shortstop, then scored on a single to right by Aledmys Diaz.
Valdez hit Bradley Zimmer with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Springer forced Zimmer at second with a grounder to third. Bichette hit his third homer of the season, which was also the first ball the Blue Jays hit to the outfield.
Tucker cued an infield single off the bag at third with one out in the seventh for the Astros. Tucker stole second and scored on Goodrum’s ground-ball double to right to tie the game 2-2.
Toronto’s Lourdes Gurriel Jr. led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and was forced at second by Chapman. Shortstop Jeremy Pena made an error on Kirk’s grounder. Phil Maton replaced Valdez and allowed Espinal’s go-ahead RBI single.
The Blue Jays’ Tim Mayza pitched around a single in the eighth.
Toronto’s Vinny Capra made his major-league debut in left field. He was replaced by Raimel Tapia in the seventh.
–Field Level Media
