Morton stellar as Astros blank Blue Jays

Charlie Morton struck out 13 in seven stellar innings, and Jake Marisnick hit a three-run homer in the eighth after preserving the shutout with a big defensive play in the sixth as the Houston Astros got a 7-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

Morton (10-1) scattered four hits and walked two for his third straight win to become Houston’s first 10game winner.

Evan Gattis put Houston up with a two-run single in the fifth. Marisnick padded the lead with his shot to left field with one out in the eighth and Alex Bregman, who tied a careerhigh with four hits, added a two-run homer with two outs in the inning for his second straight game with a home run.

Marisnick’s homer came after he dazzled on defence two innings earlier. Teoscar Hernandez singled with two outs in the sixth before Yangervis Solarte drew a walk. Marisnick then robbed Justin Smoak of extra bases when he leaped and bounced off the wall in left-centre to grab his fly ball.

Toronto’s Ryan Borucki (0-1) had a solid start in his major league debut, allowing six hits and two runs while walking four in six innings. Borucki, who was 6-5 with a 3.27 ERA in 13 starts for Triple-A Buffalo this season, struck out three before Preston Guilmet took over for the seventh inning.

Chris Devenski struck out one in the eighth and Hector Rondon allowed one hit in the ninth to give Houston its seventh shutout this season.