Brandon Belt hit the go-ahead single in a three-run fifth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Houston Astros 3-2 Thursday night.
The Blue Jays won the final three games of the four-game series and took the season series with the Astros 4-3. The three-game losing streak matches Houston’s longest of the season.
Alex Bregman hit a solo home run for Houston.
Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (6-4) allowed two runs, four hits and two walks while striking out two in six innings.
Houston left-hander Framber Valdez (6-5) allowed three runs, four hits and four walks with five strikeouts in five innings.
Houston scored twice in the second. Bregman, who had the day off Wednesday, hit a drive to left to lead off the inning for his ninth homer of the season.
Kyle Tucker followed with a walk, and Jose Abreu and Chas McCormick singled to load the bases. Tucker scored as Jake Meyers grounded into a double play.
Valdez worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the second after allowing a walk, a single and a hit batter.
In the third inning, Corey Julks batted for Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (right oblique discomfort) and walked.
Toronto center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, who was hit by a pitch on the left wrist in the second, was replaced by Daulton Varsho in the fourth. X-rays on Kiermaier were negative.
The Blue Jays took a 3-2 lead in the fifth after loading the bases with one out on three walks. Valdez ignored the runner coming home on Matt Chapman’s comebacker, instead going for the double play but getting only a force at second. Meyers then overran Alejandro Kirk’s line drive to center field that went for an RBI double. Belt followed with a run-scoring single, although Kirk was out trying to score the second run on the hit.
Phil Maton replaced Valdez in the sixth and pitched around a walk and a double to the first two batters.
Erik Swanson pitched a perfect eighth for Toronto. That set up Jordan Romano, who pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 17th save of the season.
–Field Level Media
