Brennan homers as Guardians beat Blue Jays

TORONTO (AP) — Will Brennan hit a solo home run and scored twice, Logan Allen pitched five innings for his first career win over Toronto, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Blue Jays 3-1 on Friday night for their fourth win in five games.

Brennan and Andrés Giménez had two hits apiece as the Guardians improved to 31-7 when scoring first.

“When Will is on the fastball, he’s a really good hitter,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “That limits the chase and you start to see the hard contact.”

Cleveland has won 11 of its last 16 road games. The Guardians improved to 23-15 away from home.

Allen (7-3) allowed one run and three hits. The 25-year-old left-hander walked three and struck out three.

“LA threw the ball phenomenal tonight,” Vogt said. “He was just missing the inside corner, but I think it kind of kept them off balance and allowed him to open up the rest of the zone.”

Allen is 4-1 with a 3.86 ERA in his last six starts.

“Logan is a stud and we’re going to need him,” Brennan said.

Five Cleveland relievers followed Allen’s outing with four hitless innings.

“They’ve been great, they’ve been awesome,” Allen said of his relievers. “They’ve definitely picked up us starters. We really appreciate it.”

Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman allowed three runs and eight hits in five innings, losing for the second time in three starts.

Toronto has lost two straight and three of its last four. The Blue Jays are 8-29 when scoring three or fewer runs, often forcing their pitchers to be nearly perfect.

“As much as you try to block it out, it’s really hard to,” Gausman said of the lack of run support. “The reality is if we don’t pitch well we probably lose.”

Coming off his first career shutout in a victory at Oakland on Saturday, Gausman (5-5) allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked none and struck out six.

“I thought we took advantage of the few mistakes that he made,” Vogt said.

Brennan and Daniel Schneemann hit back-to-back doubles off Gausman in the second, and Cleveland extended its lead on Brennan’s one-out homer in the fourth, his sixth of the season.

Brayan Rocchio hit a leadoff double in the fifth and scored on a two-out hit by Giménez.

Toronto got on the board in the sixth. Ernie Clement hit a leadoff double and Davis Schneider chased Allen with an RBI single.

Right-hander Cade Smith replaced Allen and retired the next three batters.

Cleveland’s Scott Barlow got two outs in the seventh and Sam Hentges came on to strike out pinch hitter Alejandro Kirk.

Hunter Gaddis pitched the eighth and Emmanuel Clase finished for his 21st save in 24 chances.

ROSTER MOVES

The Blue Jays recalled INF/OF Addison Barger from Triple-A Buffalo and designated DH Daniel Vogelbach for assignment.

UP NEXT

RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-5, 5.50 ERA) is scheduled to start for Cleveland on Saturday afternoon. Toronto had not named a starter.