TORONTO (AP) — Jonatan Clase hit his first career home run, Kevin Gausman pitched six innings to win his final start of the season and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Boston 6-1 on Wednesday night, eliminating the Red Sox from postseason contention. The Red Sox, who had won four in a row, needed to win their final four games and get help from opponents in the American League wild-card race. 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. Alejandro Kirk, who extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games, had three hits and three RBIs 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.
He ended his outing by retiring Nick Sogard on a fly ball with the bases loaded. 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.
Kirk drove in two with a two-out single off the .