Gausman pitches 8 innings and Varsho homers as Blue Jays beat Rangers 2-1

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman throws a pitch to the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 26, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kevin Gausman struck out six over eight strong innings, Daulton Varsho had a solo homer among his three hits and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 2-1 on Monday.

Gausman (5-4) threw 72 of his 96 pitches for strikes, including his first 14, and didn’t walk a batter. He gave up one run and five hits.

Jeff Hoffman worked a perfect ninth for his 11th save in 14 chances.

Jacob deGrom (4-2) lost for the first time in his last seven starts, and didn’t have a strikeout in 5 1/3 innings. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner allowed five hits and walked two.

Varsho’s eighth homer came in the first inning for the Blue Jays, who were coming off a 13-0 loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday that wrapped up a three-game sweep in which they scored only two runs.

Alejandro Kirk added a sacrifice fly in the fourth for a 2-0 lead before Varsho, who had doubled, was thrown out trying to score on Anthony Santander’s grounder to first.

Wyatt Langford homered in the Texas fourth, when Gausman had thrown 25 of 29 pitches for strikes and didn’t yet have a punchout. The right-hander got through the first two innings on just 12 pitches, all strikes.

Key moment

The only time Texas had multiple runners on base was after consecutive singles to start the fifth by Jonah Heim and rookie Alejandro Osuna, the first hit of his big league career. Gausman got out of the inning with a strikeout, a flyball and another strikeout.

Key stat

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s leadoff single in the fourth extended his on-base streak to 26 games, a new career high and the longest active streak in the majors. He had a 25-game streak in 2021.

Up next

RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-3, 1.60 ERA), who has allowed only three earned runs over 36 2/3 innings in his last six starts, pitches Tuesday for Texas. RHP Bowden Francis (2-6, 5.54) goes for the Blue Jays.

Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press