Astros 4, Blue Jays 2
HOUSTON -- Collin McHugh's loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday may have been just a blip on the radar screen.
McHugh had won 11 in a row before his loss to the Giants. But Sunday afternoon, the Houston right-hander was back in the win column, pitching the Astros to a 4-2 victory to complete a four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays at Minute Maid Park.
McHugh (5-1) allowed six hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking one.
Mark Buehrle, Toronto's 36-year-old left-hander, pitched eight innings, giving up six hits, including two doubles and two home runs. Buerhle (5-3) struck out five and walked two.
Houston scored half their runs on homers on Sunday. Third baseman Luis Valbuena homered in the first inning, his 10th of the year, and left fielder Colby Ramus hit his seventh in sixth inning.
That gave the Astros 57 homers for the season, best in the American League and second best in franchise history after 38 games.
Houston center fielder Jake Marisnick hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to drive in shortstop Jonathan Villar, who led off the inning with a double, to give the Astros a 4-2 lead.
After Valbuena's home run in the first inning, Toronto tied it in the third on second baseman Steve Tolleson's double, a sacrifice by right fielder Ezequiel Carrera and a sacrifice fly by DH Jose Bautista. The Blue Jays then went ahead 2-1 in the fourth on a double by left fielder Chris Colabello, a ground out and another sacrifice fly, this one a line drive to left by shortstop Ryan Goins.
The Astros evened the game in the bottom of the fourth on walks to right fielder George Springer and Rasmus and a RBI double by Villar.
NOTES: Toronto 2B Devon Travis, who had started 35 of the Blue Jays' first 38 games, was not in the lineup Sunday after suffering irritation in his left shoulder in Saturday night's game. He underwent treatment in the visiting clubhouse at Minute Maid Park before the game. ... Houston manager A.J. Hinch gave C Jason Castro a second day in a row off. Castro had been hit in the foot by a pitch in Friday's game. ... Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson extended his streak of reaching base safely to 35 games in a row vs. Houston when he was hit by a pitch from Collin McHugh in the third inning Sunday. It's the longest active streak in the majors against one team. Teammate DH Jose Bautista had reached base safely 32 games in a row vs. Seattle. ... Astros RHP Lance McCullers will make his first major league start in Monday night's game against Oakland.