Gausman pitches 4-hitter, Varsho hits 3-run homer and Blue Jays beat Rangers 7-3
TORONTO, CANADA - JULY 27: Michael Lorenzen #23 of the Texas Rangers hands the ball over to manager Bruce Bochy as Lorenzen is pulled from the game in the first inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 27, 2024
TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Gausman pitched a four-hitter for his third complete game in 280 major league starts, Daulton Varsho had four RBIs including a three-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 7-3 on Saturday.
Gausman (9-8) won his third straight start and joined Atlanta’s Max Fried as the only pitchers with two complete games this season. Gausman, who pitched a five-hit shutout at Oakland on June 8, struck out eight, walked three and threw 118 pitches, his most since 2016. He threw 81 pitches for strikes.
"He just executed at an extremely high level," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. "When his split is carrying the zone, you see the Cy Young Award candidate coming out."
It was the 20th complete game in the major leagues this season and the first nine-inning complete game against Texas since the Los Angeles Angels’ José Suarez did it on Sept. 4, 2021.
Gausman threw his first complete game with Baltimore in 2014.
After giving up two runs in the third, Gausman struck out Nathaniel Lowe to end the inning, the first in a streak of 18 consecutive outs. Lowe walked with two outs in the ninth and Jonah Heim flied out.
"He’s got great stuff," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said of Gausman. "He had a good split going, a good fastball, located well."
Marcus Semien tripled in the first inning and scored on a wild pitch, and Wyatt Langford hit an RBI double in the third and scored on Adolis García’s single. Semien scored twice but Texas lost its second straight after a five-game winning streak.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three of Toronto’s 15 hits and scored three runs. Alejandro Kirk had three hits and drove in a run for the Blue Jays, who won consecutive games for the first time since July 10 and 11 at San Francisco.
In a rare start at third base, Guerrero made a diving stop on Semien’s eighth-inning grounder and threw to first for the out. Guerrero tipped his cap and Gausman raised his arms after right fielder George Springer made a diving catch to retire García in the ninth.
"They were the reason that I was able to go deep in the game today," an appreciative Gausman said.
Michael Lorenzen (5-6) got just two outs and allowed four runs and five hits, throwing 40 pitches to nine batters.
"He just couldn’t stop it," Bochy said of Toronto’s four-run first.
Lorenzen retired his first two batters but his next seven reached safely. Guerrero and Justin Turner singled, Varsho hit his 12th homer and Ernie Clement added an RBI single.
"The inning just blew up in my face," Lorenzen said. "I’ve got to do a better job of not allowing that to happen."
Varsho added an eighth-inning sacrifice fly off Dane Dunning.
Kirk made it 5-3 with an RBI single off José Ureña in the fifth, and Spencer Horwitz hit a sacrifice fly off Dunning in the sixth.
PEARSON TRADED
Toronto traded RHP Nate Pearson to the Cubs for two minor leaguers, SS Josh Rivera and OF Yohendrick Pinango.
ROSTER MOVES
RHP Ryan Burr was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo and RHP Jordan Romano (elbow) was transferred to the 60-day IL.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: LHP Ricky Tiedemann, a top prospect, will have Tommy John surgery Tuesday, manager John Schneider said.
UP NEXT
RHP José Berríos (8-8, 4.08 ERA) is scheduled for the Blue Jays in Sunday’s series finale. RHP Jon Gray 5-4, 3.73) goes for Texas.