ARLINGTON, Texas – Yovani Gallardo earned his 100th career victory, Delino DeShields had a part in all the Texas runs even without an RBI and the Rangers stopped the Toronto Blue Jays’ five-game winning streak, 4-1 Thursday.
The AL East-leading Blue Jays lead the majors with 5.4 runs per game, and had outscored opponents 54-19 during their recent string.
With two runners on in the seventh, DeShields hit a single that rolled past charging right fielder Jose Bautista. The ball wound up on the warning track and DeShields circled the bases on the error for a 4-0 lead.
READ MORE: Price solid, Encarnacion hits grand slam as Jays top Rangers 12-4
Gallardo (11-9) threw 5 1-3 scoreless innings, giving up three hits while striking out two and walking three. He improved to 100-73 in 241 career games with Milwaukee (2007-14) and Texas.
Gallardo became the fourth native of Mexico to win 100, joining Fernando Valenzuela (173), Esteban Loaiza (126) and Ismael Valdez (104).
Get breaking National news
In two starts against Toronto this season, Gallardo has thrown 13 2-3 scoreless innings.
Shawn Tolleson worked the ninth for his 26th save in 28 chances as Texas avoided a three-game sweep. He had converted 12 in a row before Tuesday night’s series opener, when he gave up two runs in the ninth inning of a 6-5 loss.
READ MORE: Toronto Blue Jays playoff tickets to go on sale Wednesday for season-ticket holders
Sam Dyson got Troy Tulowitzki to ground into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the seventh.
The Rangers never trailed after DeShields drew a walk from Marco Estrada (11-8) in the first and scored on Mitch Moreland’s single.
DeShields finished 2 for 2 with three walks after going 6 for 38 with 13 strikeouts the previous nine games.
Edwin Encarnacion stretched his hitting streak to 22 games, the longest in the majors this season, with an RBI double in the Toronto eighth. He hit a scorching liner that got past DeShields in right-centre as Bautista scored from first.
In the Texas seventh, slow-running catcher Bobby Wilson was going to be held up at third until the ball got past Bautista. Rather than bases loaded, Wilson and Hanser Alberto scored with the speedy DeShields following close behind.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: 2B Rougned Odor missed his second game in a row since splitting the nail on the middle finger of his right hand Tuesday night. Manager Jeff Banister had said Odor possibly pinch-hit or pinch-run, but wasn’t used Thursday.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: After an eight-game road trip, Toronto opens a nine-game homestand Friday night against Detroit.
Rangers: Cole Hamels starts for the Rangers in the opener of a three-game series Friday night against fellow wild-card contender Baltimore, which has won five of its last six games in Texas.
Comments