Blue Jays build 7-0 lead, just enough to beat Astros
George Springer hit a three-run home run, Spencer Horwitz had a solo shot and the host Toronto Blue Jays held on to defeat the Houston Astros 7-6 on Tuesday night.
The Blue Jays built a 7-0 lead in gaining a split of the first two games of the four-game series.
Yordan Alvarez hit a three-run homer for the Astros and Jose Altuve added three hits.
Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (8-6) allowed five runs, five hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out one.
Houston right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (4-7) allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits and four walks in four innings. He fanned five.
Toronto scored in the first when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked with two-out, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Justin Turner's single to left.
Arrighetti allowed two homers in the third and the Blue Jays took a 5-0 lead. With two out, Horwitz golfed a 1-2 fastball to right for his third homer of the season. Guerrero followed with a double, Turner walked and Springer pulled a fastball to left for his ninth homer of the season.
Toronto added two runs in the fourth. Ernie Clement led off with a double when his fly to shallow left bounced over the head of Alvarez, who had pulled up on the play. Alejandro Kirk walked and Addison Barger doubled in one run. Kirk later scored on a passed ball.
Houston roared back with five in the fifth. Jon Singleton opened with an infield single and Jeremy Pena was hit by a pitch. Cesar Salazar and Jose Altuve had RBI singles and Alvarez hit a blast to right for his 18th homer of the season.
After Toronto's Nate Pearson pitched two runless innings, Trevor Richards allowed an unearned run in the eighth. Alvarez reached second base on an infield hit and shortstop Bo Bichette's throwing error. He took third on an errant pickoff throw by Richards and scored on Jake Meyers' groundout.
Chad Green pitched around Pena's leadoff double in the ninth to earn his third save of the season.
Toronto put infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa (left knee sprain) on the injured list Tuesday and recalled infielder Leonardo Jimenez from Triple-A Buffalo.
