Toronto Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman’s final line wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done.

Stroman allowed four runs and 11 hits in 6⅓ innings, while striking out only one Kansas City Royals batter as the Blue Jays won Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

Stroman is the second pitcher to earn a win while allowing as many as 11 hits and recording as few as one strikeout in a postseason game. The other was Bob Turley for the New York Yankees against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1960 World Series.

Stroman is the first to give up 11 hits and four runs and still get a win since Kevin Brown of the Marlins threw a complete game against the Braves in the 1997 National League Championship Series. No pitcher had done that in a postseason game in an outing of seven innings or fewer.

Stroman did give the Blue Jays length. He has pitched at least six innings in six straight starts, the longest streak of his brief major league career.

The key to this one was Stroman’s ability to escape major trouble. The Royals were 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position against him. Stroman used five different pitches -- his fastball, changeup, slider, cutter and sinker -- to get those seven outs.

The biggest at-bat in the game for him was when he faced Mike Moustakas with two on and two out in the third inning, with the Blue Jays leading 3-2. Moustakas popped out to second baseman Ryan Goins on a 1-1 cutter to end the inning.

Stroman threw 11 cutters in this game, nearly as many as he threw in his previous two playoff starts combined (12). In all, his 23 cutters this postseason have resulted in six outs and no baserunners. Of the 11 he threw in Game 3, 10 were for strikes.

Three batters later, Troy Tulowitzki hit a three-run home run and the Blue Jays had a comfortable lead.

The Blue Jays have won six of Stroman’s seven starts this season, which bodes well considering that his next start would likely be in Game 7.