Field Level Media
Sep 26, 2018
Randal Grichuk hit a two-run home run, Reese McGuire added a solo shot for his first career major league homer and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Houston Astros 3-1 on Wednesday afternoon.
The Astros (100-58) already had clinched first place in the American League West with their win Tuesday and an Oakland loss later that night.
The Blue Jays (72-87) salvaged the finale of the three-game series in their final home game of the season.
Joe Biagini (4-7) picked up the win, allowing one hit and one walk in 1 1/3 innings.
Former Astros closer Ken Giles earned his 25th save of the season and 13th with Toronto with a perfect ninth.
The Blue Jays officially confirmed Wednesday that manager John Gibbons would not return next year. He was cheered when he took out the lineup card before the game and each time he changed pitchers.
Toronto opened with Sean Reid-Foley, who allowed one run, one hit and one walk and struck out five in 3 1/3 innings.
The Astros had a bullpen day, opening with Chris Devenski (2-3), who was making his first start this season after 47 relief appearances. The right-hander allowed two runs, one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in two innings.
Billy McKinney led off the bottom of the first with a walk, and Grichuk hit his 25th home run of the season to put Toronto ahead 2-0.
Houston scored in the fourth. Jake Marisnick led off with a walk, took third on a flyout to right and scored on Carlos Correa's infield hit.
The Astros left the bases loaded in the fifth. J.D. Davis walked with one out, Max Stassi lost a potential hit on McKinney's superb catch in left field and Myles Straw earned his first major league hit on a smash to the pitcher. Marisnick hit an infield single before Tony Kemp struck out to end the threat.
McGuire homered in the fifth off Houston's second pitcher of the game, Cionel Perez.
Houston's Lance McCullers Jr. pitched a perfect bottom of the sixth after being reinstated from the disabled list (right elbow discomfort).
Jon Berti singled for Toronto in the bottom of the eighth for his first major league hit.
--Field Level Media