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Sanchez shines as Blue Jays down Astros

Jun 6, 2015 - 5:47 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Aaron Sanchez faced one batter over the minimum through eight innings and came within three outs of throwing his first career complete game as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Houston Astros 6-2 in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.

Sanchez (5-4) was pulled after giving up three consecutive hits to start the ninth inning, including a solo homer.

"He was tremendous," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "It was easy to watch. Lot of ground balls."

The 22-year-old right-hander, who was a reliever in his first major league season last year, hadn't pitched more than 7 1/3 innings in 2015. He was charged with both Houston runs -- one earned -- on six hits and no walks.

Roberto Osuna got the last three outs as the Blue Jays snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Astros, which included a four-game sweep in Houston last month.

Toronto's win was powered by a five-run third inning, which included two-run homers by Jose Bautista and Jose Reyes off Astros starter Roberto Hernandez.

Chris Colabello extended his hitting streak to 15 games, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in the victory.

Hernandez (2-5) gave up six runs -- five earned -- on nine hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.

"They came out and put some good at-bats together and hit the ball hard against him," said Astros manager A. J. Hinch. "We dug ourselves a hole that proved to be too much to come out of."

Jason Castro led off the ninth inning with a solo homer on Sanchez's 96th pitch. The Astros' other run scored when Toronto catcher Russell Martin overthrew second base on a steal attempt.

Reyes' first homer of the season, a line drive over the wall in right-center, scored Kevin Pillar after he hit a leadoff single in the third. Josh Donaldson followed with a base hit and Bautista launched a towering blast off the facing of the third deck above right field for his ninth home run of the season. Edwin Encarnacion then doubled and scored on Colabello's single.

Colabello had a leadoff single in the sixth and scored later on a groundout to give Toronto a 6-0 lead.

Sanchez retired the first nine Houston batters before giving up a leadoff single to George Springer in the fourth. Springer was erased on a double play, same as Colby Rasmus after he hit a one-out single in the fifth.

Sanchez faced the minimum until the seventh, when Jose Altuve beat the throw on a chopper up the middle and was stranded on first base.

Game Notes

Colabello's hitting streak is the longest by a Blue Jays player since Scott Rolen's 25-game run from June 8-July 8, 2009 ... The Blue Jays had lost three of Sanchez's past four starts entering the game ... Sanchez had three strikeouts.