Joey Loperfido hit a three-run homer in the 11th inning to give the Houston Astros a 9-7 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday at Rogers Centre.
The Astros built a 4-0 lead but watched it vanish before rallying in the ninth. Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and Isaac Paredes singled to load the bases, and a catcher’s interference call plus a sacrifice fly tied the game.
Houston had already delivered back-to-back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning off Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber. Yainer Diaz, Cam Smith and Taylor Trammell each cleared the fences, turning a one-run lead into a four-run advantage.
Loperfido, who returned to Toronto after a February trade, called the homer his first of the season and said facing his former club carried extra motivation. Manager Joe Espada noted the team’s plan to attack Bieber’s strikes from the first pitch.
The victory prevented Houston from dropping its first series since early June.
