MLB: The Blue Jays win 5-1 over Houston. 13 strikeouts for Kevin Gausman

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman tied a career high with 13 strikeouts and Toronto hit three homers in a 5-1 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday.

George Springer, Daulton Varsho and Bo Bichette homered as Toronto won for the fifth time in six games.

Gausman (5-3) allowed one earned run and four hits in seven innings. He did not walk on that outing during which he made 101 pitches.

The right-hander has scored at least ten strikeouts, a major league high, six times this season.

Erik Swanson pitched the eighth inning and Trevor Richards finished the job in the ninth for Toronto (34-28).

Mauricio Dubon homered for the Astros (36-25), who lost for the fourth time in their last 12 games. Houston starter Hunter Brown (5-3) allowed three earned runs and three hits in six innings.

Gausman’s performance comes at a good time for the Toronto bullpen, which was heavily taxed on Monday when starter Alek Manoah pitched just a third inning in an 11-4 league opener loss. series.

Manoah was sent to the Florida Complex League in the afternoon.

Dubon hit Gausman’s second pitch of the game for his first career home run.

The lead held until Springer’s two-run homer in the third inning. His ninth homer of the year barely got past the left center field wall.

Varsho gave a two-run priority in fourth with a solo homer that required video review before it was confirmed.

The replay showed the ball hit a railing behind the fence and bounced off the playing surface. It was Varsho’s 11th home run this season.

Bichette had a solo hit in the eighth inning for his 13th home run, a season-high for the Blue Jays. Whit Merrifield added a double for a run that sent Vladimir Guerrero home.

A crowd of 30,079 was announced for the match which lasted two hours 23 minutes.