Heineman has walk-off RBI as Jays rally
TORONTO – Tyler Heineman’s 10th inning hit scored Myles Straw as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied past the Houston Astros 4-3 on Tuesday.
With Straw on third and one out, Heineman hit a ball that was fielded by Astros’ first baseman Christian Walker, who threw home to try and prevent the winning run but was unsuccessful. Heineman’s big moment was ruled a fielder’s choice but it did the job nonetheless.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s two-run single in the bottom of the ninth tied it 3-3 as Toronto (83-61) ended a two-game slide. George Springer led off the sixth with his 28th home run of the season.
Shane Bieber struck out four but gave up three runs on nine hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings of work. Relievers Yariel Rodriguez, Brendon Little, Tommy Nance, Seranthony Dominguez and Jeff Hoffman (9-6) went the rest of the way without giving up a run.
All-star shortstop Bo Bichette was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Blue Jays with a sprained left knee earlier in the day.
Ernie Clement was slotted into the lineup against Houston and Toronto manager John Schneider said Kiner-Falefa would also shoulder some of the duties at short.
Carlos Correa staked Houston (78-67) to an early lead with a two-run homer in the first. Yainer Diaz added a run with a double in the sixth.
Starting pitcher Luis Garcia waved to the Astros dugout to be taken out of the game in the middle of the second because he had right elbow discomfort. It was just his second start after Tommy John surgery sidelined him for more than two years.
Garcia had a strikeout and a walk in 1 2/3 innings of work. AJ Blubaugh, Enyel De Los Santos, Steven Okert, Bryan King, Bryan Abreu and Craig Kimbrel followed him to the mound.
TAKEAWAYS
Astros: Between Garcia’s abbreviated start and Blubaugh’s 3 1/3 innings of relief, Houston went five innings without allowing a hit. That bid for a combined no-hitter ended when Springer’s no-doubter flew into the stands in deep left-centre field.
Blue Jays: Bichette’s bat was missed by Toronto. He was hitting .311 with 18 home runs and 94 runs batted in before getting hurt, leading Major League Baseball with 181 hits and 44 doubles. Clement, who is playing through a hairline fracture in his hand, went 1-for-3 at the plate, drawing a walk immediately before Garcia called for a trainer to look at his arm and also hitting a single in the ninth.
KEY MOMENT
Houston second baseman Jose Altuve fielded Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s bouncing basehit in the 10th inning but was unable to get the out at first. The single also advanced lead runner Straw to third with no outs, setting up Heineman’s heroics.
KEY STAT
The Yankees fell to the Detroit Tigers 12-2 on Tuesday, keeping New York three games back of Toronto for first in the AL East with 18 games left in the regular season. The Tigers moved ahead of the Blue Jays for the best record in the AL.
UP NEXT
Jose Berrios (9-5) will take the mound for Toronto on Wednesday night.
Jason Alexander (4-1) is scheduled for the Astros.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2025.
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