Working to 'right the ship': Gausman dazzles with scoreless start

ANAHEIM -- As with most Blue Jays players, this season hasn’t gone according to plan for Kevin Gausman.

As difficult as it has been, the two-time All-Star is still doing his part to finish the season strong.

On Tuesday night, Gausman pitched seven scoreless innings to lift the Blue Jays to a 6-1 win over the Angels at Angel Stadium. After struggling with consistency throughout the first half of the season, Gausman is now 5-0 in his last six starts.

"This year has been tough trying to find consistency,” Gausman said. "I am a perfectionist. The work is there. I’m doing everything I can to right the ship.”

Gausman hardly had his best stuff or command against the Angels but found a way to grind through. All four of his pitches were down 1-2 mph from their season averages and he struggled uncharacteristically with his control, throwing only 65 of 106 pitches for strikes.

But he kept the ball on the ground, inducing eight groundouts, and made big pitches when it mattered most. He stranded six Angels baserunners and held them to 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Gausman got stronger as the game went on, retiring his last seven batters and dialing up his fastball to 96 mph on his 100th pitch.

“Gausy is in a really good little groove right here,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “They were aggressive again tonight, and Kev and I thought it was awesome. Kind of emptied the tank there in the seventh.”

The Blue Jays jumped out to an early 3-0 lead just six batters into the game, giving Gausman a cushion.

Ernie Clement opened the scoring with an RBI single that ricocheted off of third base and into shallow left field, and Will Wagner followed with a two-run double to continue his scorching start to his Major League career.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Spencer Horwitz hit back-to-back homers off Angels starter Carson Fulmer in the third inning, stretching the lead to 5-0. Joey Loperfido added a late insurance run with an RBI single in the eighth.

That was more than enough for Gausman, who delivered a workmanlike effort to remain unbeaten since July 5. He allowed six hits, walked two and struck out five.

"He took them to school,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “Especially once he got his five-run lead. ... He threw sinkers, splits, moved his fastball around. He’s a veteran pitcher, and he took a young club to school.”

After posting a 4.64 ERA over his first 18 starts, Gausman has a 3.19 ERA in his last six outings.

“I would say [the difference is] command," he said. “Even though I'm still walking guys, I'm kind of around the zone more. This year has been kind of a grind for me, but the last few starts have been a lot better.”

With the Gausman holding down the Angels and the Blue Jays' offense going silent after their early outburst, the game settled into a lull until George Springer was ejected after an altercation with home-plate umpire Manny Gonzalez.

An inside pitch from Angels left-hander Kenny Rosenberg appeared to hit Springer on his back foot, but Gonzalez ruled the pitch did not hit Springer. The Blue Jays issued a challenge, and the replay official ruled the call stood after review, enraging Springer.

Gonzalez ejected Springer, and the Blue Jays' outfielder had to be restrained by Guerrero, Schneider, and first-base coach Mark Budzinski.

It was just the second ejection of Springer’s 11-year career.

“I was just kind of in shock at that call,” Springer said. “It is what it is. And if you argue the call in that situation [after a replay review], it's an automatic ejection. I get it. I know the rules.

“I don't need to see the replay. I know it hit me. I'm not going to say it didn't hit me if it didn't hit me. ... I know it hit me in the foot, but it is what it is.”