Toronto avoided a series sweep by defeating the Texas Rangers 7-2 on Sunday in a key matchup involving two playoff contenders. The game took place as both teams vied for position in the American League wild-card race with just six games remaining in the regular season.

Toronto’s leadoff hitter Brett Bateman was a central contributor, reaching base multiple times and scoring three runs. Bateman walked twice against Texas starter Jacob deGrom, who allowed five hits, walked four, and departed in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and his team trailing 3-2. Bateman scored on a sacrifice fly by Nathan Lukes in the first inning and later crossed home plate on an RBI single by Kazuma Okamoto in the fifth. Bateman also sparked a four-run seventh inning with a leadoff double and scored on a Lukes single.

Nathan Lukes drove in two runs, including the sacrifice fly and a single that scored Bateman in the seventh, contributing significantly to the Blue Jays’ offensive output. Toronto’s pitching staff, led by Spencer Arrighetti, who earned the win in relief, limited the Rangers’ offense after deGrom’s exit. Arrighetti allowed the only Texas runs over two innings of work. Left-handed reliever Robert Garcia closed the fifth with a crucial inning-ending double-play on his first pitch, helping preserve the Blue Jays’ lead.

Texas cut into the Toronto advantage in the fourth inning on Jake Burger’s 27th home run, a two-run shot that just cleared the fence and deflected off Bateman’s glove in center field. However, Guerrero Jr., the Blue Jays’ first baseman, exited early due to lower back tightness and his status remains uncertain.

With the victory, Toronto moved to a 77-79 record, matching Houston’s record but trailing Chicago by 2 1/2 games for the final wild-card spot. Texas maintained a slim divisional lead in the AL West at 78-78 after the Astros' loss to Atlanta. Houston holds the tiebreaker over the Rangers.

Toronto begins a three-game series in Baltimore on Monday, while Texas has a day off before starting their final home series Tuesday against the New York Mets. The game was notable for deGrom’s performance amid ongoing mild groin tightness and his proximity to reaching 200 strikeouts this season, finishing Sunday with 196.