Surging Astros shut down Blue Jays
TORONTO -- Teoscar Hernandez hit a home run for his first major league hit, Joe Musgrove struck out seven in seven innings for his first major league win and the Houston Astros defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 on Friday night.
Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa each drove in two runs for the Astros (61-55), who won their fourth game in a row. The Blue Jays (65-51) entered Friday with a half-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East.
Musgrove (1-0) allowed six hits, one walk and two runs while striking out seven. He gave up a solo homer to Michael Saunders.
Will Harris entered the game in the ninth for the Astros and allowed a leadoff homer to Edwin Encarnacion, his 32nd of the season and 300th of his career. Harris retired the next three batters to pick up his 12th save of the season.
Blue Jays left-hander Francisco Liriano (6-12) allowed eight hits, two walks and five runs in 5 2/3 innings in his second Blue Jays' start after being acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Hernandez, who walked in his first major league plate appearance in the third inning, hit a 3-2 slider to left for a home run with two out in the sixth inning to give the Astros a 5-2 lead.
After the home run by Hernandez, Liriano hit Jason Castro with a pitch and was replaced by Ryan Tepera, who allowed a walk before ending the inning.
Tepera left with one out in the eighth after giving up infield hits to Evan Gattis and Hernandez. Left-hander Brett Cecil replaced him and walked George Springer to load the bases before Alex Bregman flied out to right to end the inning.
Musgrove was a supplemental first-round pick by Toronto in 2011 and went to Houston in a 10-player trade that brought left-hander J.A. Happ to the Blue Jays in July, 2012.
He was called up from Triple-A Fresno and struck out eight in 4 1/3 innings of relief in his major league debut Aug. 2 against Toronto.
Pat Neshek replaced Musgrove and pitched a perfect eighth.
Scott Feldman pitched around two infield hits and a walk to leave the bases loaded in the top of the ninth.
Correa hit a two-run single up the middle to give the Astros a 2-0 lead in the third.
It scored Hernandez and George Springer, both of whom had walk Bregman loaded the bases with a single and Altuve lined out to third before Correa drove in his 79th and 80th runs of the season.
The Blue Jays scored once in their half of the third. Darrell Ceciliani doubled, Devon Travis extended his streak to eight games with a single, and Ceciliani scored when Josh Donaldson grounded into a double play.
Saunders led off the bottom of the fourth with his career-best 20th homer of the season on a 2-1 sinker. His previous high was 19 in 2012.
The Astros took a 4-1 lead in the fifth. Springer led off with a single and took third on a double by Bregman. Altuve scored both with a double.
After Correa lined out to right, Altuve blunted the rally when he was caught trying to steal third. Marwin Gonzalez grounded out to end the inning.
NOTES: Astros RHP Ken Giles is on paternity leave in Houston, where his wife was expecting their first child. RHP Luke Gregerson (left oblique strain), reinstated from the disabled list Friday, took his spot in the bullpen. ... Astros OF Teoscar Hernandez made his major league debut Friday in center field after his contract was purchased from Triple-A Fresno to replace OF Preston Tucker (right shoulder strain), who was put on the DL. ... Blue Jays OF Ezequiel Carrera (strained Achilles) started his rehabilitation assignment Friday with Triple-A Buffalo. He is eligible to come off the disabled list Tuesday ... Toronto LHP J.A. Happ became the fourth different Blue Jays pitcher to win 16 games or more of his first 19 decisions on Wednesday. ... Toronto RHP Aaron Sanchez (11-2, 2.85 ERA) will start Saturday against Houston RHP Collin McHugh (7-9, 4.69 ERA).