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Buehrle shuts out Astros as Jays snap skid

Jul 26, 2013 - 5:43 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Mark Buehrle fired a shutout and the Toronto Blue Jays ended a season-worst seven-game losing streak by capturing a 4-0 victory against the Houston Astros on Thursday.

Buehrle (6-7) was nearly flawless, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out a season-best nine batters.

"I had a lot of stuff working for me," Buehrle said.

Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind helped back Buehrle by providing an RBI apiece. Maicer Izturis knocked in a pair and Jose Reyes finished 3-for-4 in the victory.

Erik Bedard (3-8) struck out six and allowed one run on three hits over five innings. He has lost five straight starts.

The Astros, losers in 11 of their last 13 games, didn't record a hit until the fifth inning.

Bedard's only real blemish came in the fourth inning, when his two-out walk to Jose Bautista extending the inning. Encarnacion came to the plate and ripped a shot into right, and Bautista hustled around the bags to score and give the Jays a 1-0 lead.

Houston's best chance against Buehrle was in the seventh, when J.D. Martinez doubled into left with one out. Buehrle, though, struck out Brett Wallace and got Justin Maxwell to ground out and end the inning.

Toronto then broke the game open with three runs in the home half against reliever Lucas Harrell.

Lind crushed a double after Bautista and Encarnacion drew walks to plate a run, and Izturis followed with a two-run single into center to give Toronto a 4-0 lead.

Buehrle retired the last eight batters he faced to notch his ninth career shutout and first since his 2009 perfect game.

"What we witnessed tonight was an experienced major league pitcher who executed a game plan," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "It was pretty evident that he had a good game plan of how he was going to attack our hitters."

Game Notes

Buehrle threw 108 pitches ... Bedard's last win came on June 26 ... Maxwell and Martinez each had a hit to account for Houston's offense ... Game time: 2:18.






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