The Blue Jays needed extra innings to finish the job, but they walked out with a 5-4 win over the Astros after Ernie Clement delivered the big swing in the 10th.
That finish came after Toronto spent most of the night playing catch-up. Houston got to Jameson Taillon early, and the Astros’ first real opening came in the opening inning when two walks and a hit loaded the bases with one out.
Taillon worked out of that mess, but the damage came later. Jose Altuve launched a home run in the third, and after that the Astros added a pair of singles and a double to build a three-run cushion.
Taillon did settle in enough to post a clean fourth, but Toronto was staring at a deficit that looked tough to erase.
Hunter Brown made the Jays work for everything. Through five innings, the only cracks Toronto could find were a Jesus Sanchez walk and a Kazuma Okamoto reach on error, and that mistake was wiped away by a double play.
Then the game flipped in the sixth. Myles Straw broke up the no-hitter with a double to left, Okamoto followed with a single to bring him home, and Jesus Sanchez homered to tie it at 3-3. From there, the game tightened into a bullpen battle.
Spencer Miles handled the fifth cleanly after taking over, then ran into trouble in the sixth with a leadoff single and a double. Nathan Lukes came up with a strong defensive play to keep the lead runner from scoring, and Miles escaped with the game still tied.
Steven Okert and Mason Fluharty traded hitless seventh innings, Bryan Abreu matched that in the top of the eighth, and Tyler Rogers worked around a single with help from Brandon Valenzuela, who cut down a runner on the bases. Josh Hader and Louis Varland both got through the ninth without issue.
In the 10th, Clement led off and went deep. With the Manfred Man on base, that put Toronto ahead 5-4.
Chase Lee then got the call to finish it off, and he caught a break when Yordan Alvarez, leading off, was thrown out trying to stretch a single by Nathan Lukes. That brought in the automatic runner, but it also left Lee with clean bases.
He finished the inning with a pair of fly outs.
Toronto now heads to Wrigley Field tomorrow to make up the game that was rained out back in June. Dylan Cease (7-5, 2.41) is set to face David Peterson (6-7, 5.52) in a day game, with first pitch at 2:10pm ET. The Jays will then hop back on the plane for their weekend series in Philly.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Catching Depth Suddenly Looks More Valuable Than Ever
With catcher prices climbing around the league before the trade deadline, Toronto had a reason to take a close look at its own depth chart. Brandon Valenzuela drew interest as clubs scrambled for help behind the plate, and the market only reinforced how hard it can be to find even a short-term fix at the position. Deals involving the Angels, the Red Sox and other teams underscored the premium on catchers, making Torontos depth look like more than just a nice-to-have.
Alejandro Kirks presence as the Blue Jays long-term catcher helped shape that decision, giving the club a clear answer at the top of the depth chart while allowing it to hold onto Valenzuela. For a team that understands how quickly catching depth can disappear, the choice to keep him was less about standing pat and more about preserving an asset in a market where the demand is obvious and the supply is thin. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Add Intriguing Starter But One Part Of This Trade Stings
Spencer Arrighetti gives the Blue Jays something they can always use in a rotation search: a young right-hander with upside and years of control. The trade that brought him over from Houston, with Daulton Varsho going the other way, also fits Torontos broader push to keep adding arms that can matter beyond just the next few weeks. Arrighetti had spent his entire big league career with the Astros, so this is a significant change for a pitcher who knew one organization and one clubhouse.
What makes the move sting a little is the human side of it. Arrighetti spoke emotionally about leaving the team he had only ever played for, and he now has to make a fresh start in a different market while working his way back from injury. The Blue Jays are betting that the long view is worth it, since he is under team control through 2029, but the immediate picture still depends on how quickly he gets healthy and settles in once he returns. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Gausman Just Left Blue Jays Fans With An Emotional Message
Kevin Gausmans exit from Toronto closed one chapter for the Blue Jays, but it did so with a message that landed more like a farewell than a breakup. After being dealt to the Chicago Cubs, Gausman took time to thank the organization and the fans who embraced him, giving the kind of parting note that tends to stick with a clubhouse and a city long after the transaction is filed away.
The right-hander is already moving on to his next stop, with a Cubs debut set for Friday against the Kansas City Royals, yet his words suggested Toronto will not be just another stop on the itinerary. For Blue Jays fans, it leaves the deal feeling a little less final than most, with the emotional part of the story still hanging in the air. [Read more 🡒]