Buehrle sharp as Blue Jays rally for two in 9th to beat Astros 2-1

HOUSTON – Mark Buehrle allowed one run over eight innings and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied for two runs in the ninth inning to snap a seven-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros Sunday.

Buehrle (10-7) allowed seven hits and struck out seven in winning his fifth straight. He has allowed seven runs over 27 innings, spanning his last four starts. Casey Janssen pitched the ninth for his 23rd save.

Robbie Grossman had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 12 games for the Astros, who have yet to sweep a series at home this season.

Moises Sierra drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game at 1-1 in the ninth. Following Sierra’s walk, Chia-Jen Lo (0-2) struck out Kevin Pillar before Kevin Chapman induced a run-scoring groundout by Ryan Goins to put Toronto in front 2-1.

After Chapman walked Jose Reyes, Philip Humber got Rajai Davis to ground out to end the inning.

Houston loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth off Janssen with a walk to pinch hitter Jason Castro before Jonathan Villar singled and pinch hitter Brett Wallace walked, but the closer induced a ground out by Cody Clark to end the game.

Dallas Keuchel gave up four hits and three walks with two strikeouts in seven innings. He had allowed four or more runs in each of his last three starts and had allowed at least a run in every start this season.

Keuchel did not allow a Blue Jays runner past second base.

Matt Dominguez scored on Jake Elmore’s double play groundout to give Houston a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Houston worked the bases loaded with nobody outs as Dominguez walked to lead off the inning, followed by singles by Brandon Barnes and Villar.

Buehrle worked out of the inning on Elmore’s double play and got Clark to ground out to end the inning.

Buehrle had a nice play on an Elmore line drive in the seventh as he took it off his hand, chased it down going to first base and flipped it over to Encarnacion at first using his glove for the second out. After a visit from Toronto manager John Gibbons and the trainer, Buehrle stayed in the game and struck out Clark on three pitches to end the inning.

NOTES: Houston C Carlos Corporan, who has been on the 7-day disabled since August 20 with a concussion, will not make the upcoming trip to Chicago with the Astros. Corporan said he still has headaches, adding that he had a CT scan Friday that came back “good”. . Houston manager Bo Porter said RHP Jarred Cosart will start Wednesday’s game against the White Sox. The Astros had yet to make a decision on Tuesday’s starter. . Toronto has now lost four of the last five series. . OF Kevin Pillar’s home run Saturday night snapped a streak of 25 straight games without hitting a home run with runners in scoring position.