Clase hits 1st career HR as Blue Jays beat Red Sox 6-1, eliminating Boston from wild-card race

TORONTO -- — Jonatan Clase hit his first career home run, Kevin Gausman pitched six innings to match his career high in wins and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Boston 6-1 on Wednesday night, eliminating the Red Sox from postseason contention.

Clase went 3 for 3 with a walk, scored twice and drove in two. He extended Toronto’s lead with a homer off Josh Winckowski in the seventh inning.

“A really good night from him,” manager John Schneider said.

Alejandro Kirk, who extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games, had three hits and three RBI as the Blue Jays won for the first time in six games and avoided a three-game sweep. Boston had been 5-0 in Toronto this season.

The Blue Jays finished 21-31 against AL East opponents for the second straight year.

Gausman (14-11) allowed one run and four hits to win his second straight start. He walked three and struck out three, and ended his outing by retiring Nick Sogard on a fly ball with the bases loaded.

“It’s always good when you can tie a career high,” Gausman said, “but I wish I would have been throwing the ball like last year.”

The Red Sox, who had won four in a row coming into the game, needed to win their final four games and get help from opponents in the American League wild-card race.

“At one point it felt like we were a playoff caliber team and then we missed the opportunity,” manager Alex Cora said. “Let’s put it that way. You look around, you look at the teams that are fighting. We had it right there and we blew it.”

Boston went into the All-Star Game with a 53-43 record but a poor second half sank the Red Sox, starting with a three-game sweep at the Dodgers right out of the break.

“Since LA, we never got it going,” Cora said.

Boston has missed the playoffs in three straight seasons, the first time that’s happened since 2010-2012. The Red Sox won the World Series in 2013.

“I’m proud of what this clubhouse was able to do and what we accomplished,” said outfielder Jarren Duran, who was 2 for 4 for his 50th multi-hit game. “It’s a good building block for the next year.”

Red Sox right-hander Richard Fitts (0-1) came in having not allowed a run over 15 2/3 innings to start his big league career, and extended that streak to 18 2/3 before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kirk hit consecutive doubles to begin the fourth.

Guerrero finished 2 for 4 and has 197 hits this season.

Fitts was charged with four runs and six hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out two.

“This was a crucial game for us,” Fitts said. “I just really feel like I let the team down. I know I have better and I can be better.”

Kirk drove in two with a two-out single off the right field wall in the fifth, but Wilyer Abreu threw Kirk out trying to advance to second.

The Red Sox finished their road schedule at 43-38. They’re 37-41 at Fenway Park with three games remaining.

ROSTER MOVES

Blue Jays: Toronto recalled RHP Brett de Geus from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned RHP Tommy Nance to the spring training facility.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette was scheduled to have surgery Wednesday on his fractured right middle finger.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: Boston returns home Friday to wrap up its season with a three-game series against Tampa Bay.

Blue Jays: Toronto closes out the season by hosting Miami in a three-game series starting Friday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb