Gausman tosses 2-hitter for 4th career complete game as Blue Jays blank Astros 6-0

TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Gausman pitched a two-hitter for his fourth career complete game, Davis Schneider homered and drove in two runs, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the struggling Houston Astros 6-0 on Thursday.

Gausman (10-10) threw the first complete game in the major leagues since Baltimore's Trevor Rogers on Aug. 1. It was the 27th complete game this season, one shy of last year's total.

The AL East-leading Blue Jays improved to 47-25 at home and 63-4 when they score five or more.

Houston dropped into a first-place tie in the AL West with Seattle, which beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-6 in 12 innings hours later.

Gausman struck out nine and walked one. The crowd of 41,224 rose for a standing ovation when he came out for the ninth. He threw 100 pitches, 79 for strikes.

Gausman retired the final 17 batters he faced, six by strikeout. Both hits he allowed were singles. Jeremy Pena had a leadoff hit in the fourth and advanced to third on a one-out single by Carlos Correa. Gausman escaped by getting Jose Altuve to pop up and striking out Jesus Sanchez.

The Astros have lost four straight series, going 4-8 against the Angels, Yankees, Rangers and Blue Jays.

George Springer led off the first with an infield single and scored when Nathan Lukes doubled off the left-field wall.

Lukes advanced on a grounder and scored when Addison Barger’s double got lost in the sun and fell in front of Sánchez in right field.

Schneider made it 3-0 with a leadoff homer in the second, his 11th.

Daulton Varsho tripled to begin the fourth and scored on Schneider’s sacrifice fly.

Houston right-hander Cristian Javier (1-3) lost his second consecutive start, allowing four runs and six hits in six innings.

Key moment

The Blue Jays scored as many runs in the first inning as they did in all of Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat.

Key stat

Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez went 0 for 4 with a strikeout against Gausman. Alvarez is 0 for 16 with nine strikeouts in his career against Gausman.

Up next

Astros: Had not announced a starter for Friday’s game at Atlanta. RHP Hurston Waldrep (4-0, 1.33 ERA) is scheduled for the Braves.

Blue Jays: RHP Chris Bassitt (11-8, 3.97 ERA) is expected to start Friday against Orioles LHP Trevor Rogers (8-2, 1.51).

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