Kevin Gausman’s season turnaround continues
Global News
As Kevin Gausman took his first steps out of the home dugout to start the ninth inning, the crowd of 41,224 fans at Rogers Centre got up with him, giving the Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher a standing ovation.
TORONTO – As Kevin Gausman took his first steps out of the home dugout to start the ninth inning, the crowd of 41,224 fans at Rogers Centre got up with him, giving the Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher a standing ovation.
They understood what he was trying to accomplish.
Gausman pitched a complete game shutout in his best start of the season as Toronto blanked the Houston Astros 6-0 on Thursday. It was the second time in Gausman’s career he’s accomplished the feat and the first time he’s done it at home.
The gesture from the fans meant a lot to Gausman.
“It was pretty cool but I was trying to do my best to kind of tone it out,” said Gausman outside Toronto’s clubhouse. “Honestly, that ninth inning, it got so loud I couldn’t really hear my PitchCom. But I’ll take that.
“It’s a pretty cool environment. As a starting pitcher, you rarely get those opportunities to be in the game, to do it at home was special.”
Gausman (10-10) struck out nine, allowing just two hits in the fourth complete game of his career. He has had only one other shutout in his 13-year Major League Baseball career: a 7-0 win for Toronto against the Oakland Athletics on June 8, 2024.
“Completely different. A lot more fans here, to be honest, that was a day game and so usually, a lot less fans,” said Gausman, comparing the two shutouts. “But today was a day game. I went out to warm up and the crowd was ready to go and fired up.
