TORONTO -- Sam Gaviglio capped off his Blue Jays season doing all the team could have asked from him.
The 28-year-old right-hander wasn't stellar, but he logged innings for a banged up rotation and allowed just four runs (three earned) in his final start of the year, falling 4-1 to the Astros on Tuesday night at Rogers Centre.
"He was scattering it a bit early," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "But he gave us a chance and we couldn't get any offense for him. We had some opportunities, they made a couple of nice plays, turned a couple of double plays -- some hard-hit balls -- but that was about it."

Gaviglio was a late Spring Training roster addition for the Blue Jays' roster after being designated for assignment by the Royals. He replaced Marcus Stroman in the rotation on May 19 in what was supposed to be a short-term fix, but as injuries in the rotation mounted, so did Gaviglio's starts.
"We had a couple of good years where our pitching staff pretty much held together, very few injuries," Gibbons said. "Last couple of years, it has been kind of banged up, but that seems like the norm of the game now."
In total, he started 23 games for the Blue Jays and logged 118-plus innings, the second most on the team, trailing only Marco Estrada.
"It's been a good experience," Gaviglio said. "A lot of learning, I wish it could be a little bit more consistent at times."
Gaviglio says he plans to work on his mechanics this offseason to help with his inconsistencies. He finished the season with a 5.19 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.
Against the Astros, he allowed a two-run homer to Alex Bregman in the first inning, but settled in nicely until the sixth when he got into trouble again. He walked the leadoff batter, then surrendered a pair of singles that scored a run before he was replaced by Jose Fernandez.
Fernandez also had an error behind him, which prolonged the sixth before Danny Barnes gave up a sacrifice fly to Evan Gattis that scored Gaviglio's unearned run.

The Blue Jays' lone run came from Billy McKinney, who took a low fastball and crushed it over the right-field wall with a 108.8-mph exit velocity, according to Statcast™. The homer was McKinney's sixth of the season.

Astros rookie Josh James kept the Blue Jays in check for five innings. He allowed just one run, four hits and struck out three.
Former Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna entered the game for the Astros in the ninth. He pitched a scoreless inning and recorded his 20th save of the year.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
With George Springer on second base in the top of the first, Bregman took an outside pitch that looked like ball four, but home-plate umpire Mike Estabrook called it a strike. Instead of taking the one-out walk, Bregman turned on a low sinker and sent the ball flying over the left-field wall for a two-run shot.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Anthony Alford showed his plus-defense by robbing Martin Maldonado of a base hit in the eighth. The center fielder ran 55 feet in 3.5 seconds to make a 5-star catch, according to Statcast™. Alford is the Blue Jays' No. 5 ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline.

"That's what speed can do for you," Gibbons said. "You can make up ground, because when it was first hit, I thought he had no chance, but he can really run. Alfie needs those kinds of things ... something like that does wonders for your confidence."
HE SAID IT
"I'm enjoying it and it's nice for the fans. I usually walk with my head down, a little embarrassed, usually they're booing, [but today it was] just the opposite. But I told you before, you've never heard a bad eulogy, have you?" -- Gibbons, on the standing ovation he received from a few Blue Jays fans as he walked off the field between pitching changes
UP NEXT
Sean Reid-Foley (2-4, 5.40 ERA) starts in the final Blue Jays home game this season at 4:07 p.m. ET on Wednesday. It will be the rookie right-hander's seventh and final start of the year. He isn't expecting to pitch deep into the game, as he's already logged 159 2/3 innings this season (including his work in the Minors) to set a career high. Toronto will face the collective bullpen of the Astros, who are expected to use right-hander Chris Devenski to open the game.