Chris Bassitt pitched eight strong innings, pinch hitter Alejandro Kirk hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Houston Astros 3-2 Wednesday night.

Bo Bichette and Brandon Belt hit solo home runs for the Blue Jays, who have won two straight.

Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run home run for the Astros.

The teams had split the first two games of the four-game series.

Bassitt (7-4), who was coming off consecutive rough outings, allowed two runs and four hits. The right-hander struck out five and didn’t issue a walk.

Houston right-hander Ronel Blanco gave up two runs, three hits and four walks in six innings. He struck out five in his second career start.

Mauricio Dubon led off the Houston fourth with a single. Jose Altuve’s grounder to shortstop forced Dubon at second, then Alvarez followed with his 17th homer of the season, a drive to right.

Bichette led off the bottom of the fourth with a 426-foot blast to center for his 14th home run of 2023.

Belt tied the game for Toronto with two outs in the sixth inning with a drive to right for his fourth homer of the season.

After allowing the blast by Alvarez, Bassitt retired 10 in a row before Jose Abreu singled with two outs in the seventh.

Hector Neris (3-2) replaced Blanco and walked Daulton Varsho on a pitch-clock violation, Kevin Kiermaier walked with one out and Kirk delivered an RBI single to give Toronto the lead.

Toronto closer Jordan Romano allowed Dubon’s leadoff double in the ninth but retired the next three batters – Altuve, Alvarez and Kyle Tucker — with the help of Kiermaier’s sliding catch in center to earn his 16th save of the season.

–Field Level Media