Loperfido scores winning run on errant pickoff throw as Astros beat Blue Jays 3-1 for 6th win in 8

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Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) congratulated Astros pitcher Mike Burrows (50) after Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lined out to end sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Houston Astros' Isaac Paredes (15) hits an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) — Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) congratulated Astros pitcher Mike Burrows (50) after Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lined out to end sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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8:49 PM on Wednesday, June 24

By IAN HARRISON

TORONTO (AP) — Joey Loperfido scored the tiebreaking run on Jeff Hoffman's errant pickoff throw in the eighth inning and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Wednesday night for their sixth victory in eight games.

Loperfido tripled off the center field wall with one out and scored when Hoffman’s pickoff throw sailed past third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. Okamoto was standing well wide of the base.

Loperfido beat his former team Tuesday with a tiebreaking home run in the 11th inning of Houston’s 9-7 win.

Hoffman (5-5) lost for the first time since May 30 at Baltimore.

Isaac Paredes had an RBI double in the first and Jeremy Peña’s infield single scored an insurance run in the ninth as the Astros won with only four hits.

Steven Okert (1-0) pitched one inning for the win and Josh Hader finished for his sixth save in six chances.

Toronto’s Luis Urías hit a one-out single off Bryan King in the eighth and advanced on a passed ball. The threat ended when Urías got doubled off second base after Cam Smith made a leaping catch at the wall on George Springer’s deep drive.

Houston’s Mike Burrows allowed one run and two hits in six innings. Nathan Lukes hit a one-out homer in the first but Toronto didn’t score again.

Lukes’ homer was his third.

Toronto starter Trey Yesavage allowed one run and two hits in 5 2/3 innings. Yesavage threw a career-high 105 pitches. He walked five and struck out five.

Up next

Astros RHP Tatsuya Imai (4-3, 6.15 ERA) was scheduled to start at Detroit on Thursday against Tigers RHP Troy Melton (4-0, 2.56). Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (4-5, 4.04 ERA) was set to start Thursday against Texas RHP MacKenzie Gore (4-6, 4.07).

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