Rangers 4, Blue Jays 1
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Yovani Gallardo collected his 100th career victory and the Texas Rangers used an error by Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista to score three in the seventh inning in a 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Thursday.
The Rangers (65-61), which snapped a two-game losing streak, drew even with the Minnesota Twins for the second wild-card spot in the American League.
The Blue Jays (71-56), who entered having won 21 of their previous 26 games, lead the New York Yankees by 1 1/2 games in AL East. New York was idle.
Gallardo (11-9) became the fourth Mexican-born pitcher to win 100 career games, joining Ismael Valdez (104), Esteban Loaiza (126) and Fernando Valenzuela (176). Gallardo, who grew up in nearby Fort Worth, pitched 5 1/3 shutout innings and gave up three hits and three walks while striking out two.
Texas right-hander Shawn Tolleson pitched a scoreless ninth for his 26th save. Four Rangers relievers held Toronto to one run and five hits in 32/3 innings.
Center fielder DeLino DeShields, who scored the game's first run on first baseman Mitch Moreland's run-scoring single in the first inning, had two hits, including a single off Toronto right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks in the seventh that led to three runs.
A charging Bautista let the ball go under his glove, allowing catcher Bobby Wilson and second baseman Hanser Alberto to score from second and first and DeShields to come all the way around.
DeShields, also with three walks, reached base in all five of his plate appearances.
Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada (11-8) took the loss, going six innings and giving up one run, four hits and three walks while striking out six, including Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder twice.
Toronto first baseman Edwin Encarnacion extended his hitting streak to 22 games with a run-scoring double in the eighth.
Texas pitchers worked out of jams in the sixth and seventh innings.
In the sixth, Gallardo left the game after giving up a one-out walk to third baseman Josh Donaldson. Right-handed reliever Keone Kela then walked the first hitter he faced to put runners on first and second and one out.
Kela, though, struck out Encarnacion and catcher Dioner Navarro to get out of the jam.
In the seventh, the Blue Jays loaded the bases with one out against Texas left-hander Jake Diekman, who was pulled to create a matchup of right-hander Sam Dyson against Toronto right-handed swinging Troy Tulowitzki.
Tulowitzki grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The Blue Jays were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
Hendriks allowed six straight singles in the seventh, including a leadoff base hit from Texas left fielder Will Venable. But Venable was picked off for the first out. Wilson, Alberto and DeShields then followed.
Hendriks was charged for the three runs after Texas right fielder Shin-Soo Choo and Fielder followed with two more base hits. Hendriks' line was one inning, three runs and six hits.
Choo went 1-for-5, extending his streak of reaching base safely to 31 games.
NOTES: Texas recalled RHP Nick Martinez from Triple-A Round Rock and optioned RHP Spencer Patton before the game. Martinez will be a long relief option out of the bullpen, manager Jeff Banister said. ... Texas INF Rougned Odor was out of the lineup for a second consecutive game because of a sore middle finger on his right hand. Odor injured the finger fielding a hard grounder to second on Tuesday. He's day to day. ... Toronto 1B Edwin Encarnacion has reached base safely in 27 consecutive games.