Loperfido’s 11th-inning, three-run homer leads Astros past Blue Jays 9-7

By: Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press Posted: 6:54 PM CDT Tuesday, Jun. 23, 2026

TORONTO - Joey Loperfido hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the 11th inning as the Houston Astros secured a 9-7 win over the Toronto Blue Jays after chasing Shane Bieber early in his season debut on Tuesday.

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TORONTO – Joey Loperfido hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the 11th inning as the Houston Astros secured a 9-7 win over the Toronto Blue Jays after chasing Shane Bieber early in his season debut on Tuesday.

Kazuma Okamoto drove in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a single in the bottom of the 11th but Houston reliever Logan VanWey (1-0) held off any further shot at a comeback.

Okamoto’s two-run single in the eighth made it a 6-4 game for the Blue Jays. But Toronto reliever Tyler Rogers loaded the bases in the ninth before a catcher’s interference brought in one run and a Cam Smith sacrifice fly scored another to tie the game.

Houston Astros' Taylor Trammell (26) celebrates with Brice Matthews (0) after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during fourth inning MLB baseball action in Toronto on Tuesday June 23, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker

Luis Urias, filling in for Ernie Clement, had a two-run homer, his first of the season, in the fourth inning to cut into Houston’s 4-0 lead. Daulton Varsho added another two-run shot to tie the game for Toronto in the seventh.

Yainer Diaz, Smith and Taylor Trammell hit back-to-back-to-back homers off Bieber in the fourth.

Peter Lambert struck out six batters while allowing six hits, two runs and three walks in 4 2/3 innings for Houston (38-43). Steven Okert, Enyel De Los Santos, Nate Pearson, Josh Hader and VanWey pitched in relief.

Bieber lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up nine hits, four runs and only striking out two batters for Toronto (39-40). The 31-year-old was on the injured list for right elbow inflammation until Tuesday.

Tommy Nance, Mason Fluharty, Spencer Miles, Jeff Hoffman, Rogers and Braydon Fisher (3-3) pitched in relief.

Takeaways

Astros: Houston left some food on the table after chasing Bieber, as Toronto intentionally walked Yordan Alvarez to load the bases. But with two outs, Christian Walker hit a flyout to end the inning. It happened again in the eighth, with Hoffman striking out Brice Matthews and getting Raynel Delgado to pop out with the bases loaded and the game tied 4-4.

Blue Jays: Bieber was tagged for a double before giving up a run a couple of batters later in the first inning. After settling down in the second and third, things unravelled in the fourth when he gave up three straight homers and was pulled after two more singles.

Key moment

Loperfido quieted the Rogers Centre crowd with a shot to right field, his first homer of the season.

Key stat

Astros batters won an MLB-best 55 ABS challenges and led the majors in challenge success rate at 60 per cent entering Tuesday.

Up next

Toronto right-hander Trey Yesavage (3-3, 3.76 ERA) will get the start for Wednesday’s series finale. Righty Mike Burrows (3-8, 5.76 ERA) is scheduled to be on the mound for Houston.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2026.