Major League Baseball
Toronto 4, Houston 3
When: 7:10 PM ET, Saturday, August 5, 2017
Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
Temperature: Indoors
Umpires: Home - Gerry Davis, 1B - Rob Drake, 2B - Pat Hoberg, 3B - Tony Randazzo
Attendance: 41950

HOUSTON -- Given the number of strange, close plays that had already worked to their benefit, the Toronto Blue Jays realized one additional gambit in the 10th inning was worth their while.

Shortstop Ryan Goins slapped a two-out, two-strike RBI single to left field, scoring Rob Refsnyder from second base with the go-ahead run in the Blue Jays' 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park.

Goins delivered his game-winning hit off left-hander Francisco Liriano (6-7), who lost for the second time in as many appearances since joining Houston at the non-waiver trade deadline.

Refsnyder reached base as a pinch-hitter on a four-pitch walk with one out and stole second. He scored on Goins' single when Astros left fielder Derek Fisher, despite ample time, made an inaccurate throw home, pulling catcher Brian McCann out of position and up the first-base line.

"It's two outs, game on the line, you're in extra innings, let's go," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said of sending Refsnyder, who hadn't touched third base when Fisher fielded the ball. "You've got to gamble, you've got to make them throw you out. Lucky it was just the right side of the plate just enough. But without the great slide by Refsnyder he's probably out anyway."

Said Refsnyder of McCann, his former teammate with the Yankees: "He's really exceptional with that tag. I've seen him make it a bunch. I've thrown a couple balls to where he had to do it. I had a feeling he was going to try to make that kind of tag. I was lucky enough to get in there."

Right-hander Ryan Tepera (6-1) earned the victory with two hitless innings of relief for the Blue Jays (52-58), who received seven strong innings from right-hander Marco Estrada.

The Blue Jays scratched across the tying run off Astros starter Charlie Morton in the seventh after Morton worked four consecutive scoreless innings prior to that frame. Kevin Pillar and Darwin Barney reached on singles to open the seventh and Jose Bautista plated the tying run on a fielder's choice grounder. First baseman Tyler White fielded the ball cleanly and threw home in an attempt to cut down Pillar, but McCann came off the plate and did not attempt a tag.

"Looking back I probably should have tried for the play at home," McCann said. "But I thought he was going to get in there easy. That was my reaction. Once I thought he was going to get in there, I was going to cut it off and try to get him out at first. Obviously, I probably should have waited there to try and get him out."

Josh Reddick and Tyler White homered for the Astros (70-40), with Reddick belting his 11th home run in the first inning. White led off the third inning with his third homer of the season.

Toronto had the leadoff batter reach in the first and second innings and cashed in both times.

Josh Donaldson drilled a one-out double off the wall in straightaway center field to score Bautista, whose infield single led off the game.

In the second, Steve Pearce worked a leadoff walk and scored when Bautista forced him home with a run-scoring groundout to third. Bautista finished 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBIs.

Morton settled down soon thereafter, retiring the Blue Jays in order in the third, fourth and sixth innings. When he ran into some two-out danger in the fifth, Morton fanned Justin Smoak on three pitches with a pair of baserunners in scoring position. But in the seventh, odd misplays opened the door for the Blue Jays to rally. Toronto capitalized on more of the same in the 10th.

"Tough game to lose," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Obviously, definitely a winnable game. We'll wake up tomorrow and try to win the series."

NOTES: The Blue Jays designated RHP Mike Bolsinger for assignment and selected the contract of RHP Taylor Cole from Triple-A Buffalo. Bolsinger, acquired via trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers last August, was 0-3 with a 6.31 ERA over 11 games, including five starts. Cole pitched across three levels in the minors for the Blue Jays, posting an 0.00 ERA in 12 2/3 innings. ... The Astros placed C Evan Gattis on the seven-day concussion disabled list and recalled C Juan Centeno from Triple-A Fresno. Gattis was concussed on Thursday night when he was hit in the helmet by a backswing from Rays LF Corey Dickerson. ... Astros 3B J.D. Davis was selected from Triple-A Fresno. Davis hit .282 with 26 home runs and 78 RBIs across two levels in the minors. The Astros optioned 1B A.J. Reed to Fresno.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Toronto   Houston
Marco Estrada Player Charlie Morton
No Decision W/L No Decision
7.0 IP 7.0
7 Strikeouts 7
5 Hits 7
3.86 ERA 3.86
Hitting
Toronto   Houston
Darwin Barney Player Josh Reddick
3 Hits 1
0 RBI 2
0 HR 1
3 TB 4
.750 Avg .333
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Toronto 9 0 10 .231 25 12 4 5 2 0
Houston 5 2 12 .147 10 11 3 3 0 0