TORONTO, ON - JUNE 1 - Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) tags out Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Christian Yelich (22) on a steal attempt in the first inning as the Toronto Blue Jays play the Milwaukee Brewers at Rogers Centre in Toronto. …
TORONTO - Kevin Gausman pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time this season, Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman both homered and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 on Thursday.
Gausman (4-3) struck out 11, giving him 100 on the season and reclaiming the AL lead from Angels right-hander Shohei Ohtani (90). Gausman allowed five hits and walked two.
Erik Swanson retired all four batters he faced and Jordan Romano finished for his 13th save in 16 chances.
The Brewers have lost five of seven.
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Bichette and Chapman both connected off Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta (5-5) in a three-run first inning as Toronto opened June on a winning note after going 11-17 in May.
Bichette got it started with a solo drive to center, his team-leading 12th. Three batters later, Chapman hit a two-run blast, his eighth.
Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier made a sensational diving catch on the warning track for the final out of the second inning, laying out for Andruw Monasterio’s deep drive. Backing up the play, right fielder George Springer raised his arms in celebration at the highlight reel catch by the three-time Gold Glove award winner.
Kiermaier nearly made another great catch in the ninth, but couldn’t come up with Rowdy Tellez’s inning-opening triple. After William Contreras walked, Tellez scored on Brian Anderson’s double-play grounder.
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After giving up a leadoff double in the second, Peralta retired the next nine batters in order. He set down 14 of the final 16 batters he faced.
Peralta allowed three runs and six hits in six innings, his second straight losing decision.
Blue Jays batters didn’t strike out, walk, or hit a home run in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss, just the third time in team history that’s happened, and the first since 1979. In contrast, Toronto did all three in the first inning Thursday. After Bichette and Chapman homered, Cavan Biggio drew a two-out walk but Kiermaier struck out to end the inning.