Gausman tosses 5 1/3 scoreless innings, Kiermaier homers and Blue Jays beat Nationals 6-3

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kevin Gausman pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run homer in his return from the injured list and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Washington Nationals 6-3 on Saturday to end a three-game losing streak.

Gausman (2-3) allowed three hits while striking out eight. He walked two batters in the first inning, but settled in and later retired 10 straight — seven by strikeout — before leaving after Luis García Jr.’s one-out single in the sixth after 112 pitches.

“Not very efficient to be honest," Gausman said. “Too many deep counts. But I went into this game kind of knowing I was going to need to go deep and that they might push me a little bit, so I was fine with that.”

Gausman has given up two earned runs in 24 innings while striking out 21 with five walks over his last four starts.

Danny Jansen and Daulton Varsho each had two hits for the Blue Jays, who had lost eight of 11. Kiermaier returned after missing nine games with left hip flexor inflammation and connected off Derek Law in the eighth inning for his first homer of the season.

“Welcome back KK," manager John Schneider said. "Nice add-on there at the end.”

CJ Abrams and García had two hits each for the Nationals, who had won six of eight and missed a chance to go above .500 for the first time since July 1, 2021, when they were 40-39.

Washington starter Jake Irvin (2-3) allowed four unearned runs on five hits over five innings.

Toronto’s Bo Bichette was ejected by home plate umpire Jonathan Parra after slamming his helmet to the ground when he was called out on strikes on a borderline 3-2 pitch in the fifth.

“I thought it was a little early to be honest with you,” Schneider said. “You’ve seen equipment violations before an ejection and Jonathan’s thought was that it was a little bit much. Kind of tough to argue that, but yeah, I think that for a guy's first ejection probably could have been a little bit of grace there given.”

Trailing 4-0, Washington loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. Abrams hit a drive to center that was caught by Kiermaier on the warning track for a sacrifice fly and Nick Senzel followed with an RBI single.

Schneider shook up his lineup — including moving Varsho up to the number two spot and Bichette down to number five. Bichette was 1 for 3 before his ejection, raising his average to .202.

“If that’s what we think is the best option for us scoring runs, I’m willing to do whatever," Bichette said. "We’ve got get going and I haven’t done much to contribute, so whatever they want.”

Washington's defense played a major role in the Blue Jays start.

The Nationals sandwiched two throwing errors around another bad throw that erased the second out of a potential double play as the Blue Jays scored four unearned runs in the first. Two runs scored when first baseman Trey Lipscomb threw the ball into left field on Daniel Vogelbach’s bases-loaded grounder, and Jansen capped the inning with an RBI double.

“First inning was not good,” manager Davey Martinez said. “We couldn’t throw the ball to first base. So just one of those days, right? The weather was not good, but we should have made those plays."

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: Schneider said RHP Alek Manoah (right shoulder soreness) will be reinstated and make his 2024 debut when he starts the series finale on Sunday. He has not pitched in the majors since Aug. 10.

Nationals: RHP Josiah Gray (right elbow) threw a bullpen session Saturday. Manager Dave Martinez said Gray felt good after throwing 30-35 pitches and his next bullpen will happen Tuesday or Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Manoah will face LHP MacKenzie Gore (2-3, 3.19), who is averaging 11.03 strikeouts per nine innings.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Washington Nationals' Nick Senzel looks on after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reacts as he flew out during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer, right, is greeted by Daniel Vogelbach, left, after scoring on a single by Justin Turner during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Toronto Blue Jays' Justin Turner runs home to score on a fielder's choice hit into by Daniel Vogelbach during the first inning of a baseball game, against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., center, is greeted by Cavan Biggio (8) and Danny Jansen, right, after scoring on a fielder's choice hit into by Daniel Vogelbach during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals' Eddie Rosario slides to steal second base during the second inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette reacts after he struck out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. Bichette was ejected from the game. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

ADDS AMOUNT OF RUNS - Toronto Blue Jays' Kevin Kiermaier, right, celebrates his two-run home run with Danny Jansen during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A 20-minute drive separates the historic Maracana Stadium from the Complexo do Alemao, the biggest complex of favelas in Rio de Janeiro and one of the most impoverished and violent.

One of its residents, 15-year-old soccer player Kaylane Alves dos Santos, hopes her powerful shots and impressive dribbles will allow her to cover that short distance to the stadium in three years to play for Brazil's national team in the final of the 2027 Women's World Cup.

That chance, once remote, became more realistic on Friday when FIFA members voted to make Brazil the first Latin American country to host the Women's World Cup.

Local organizers have suggested that both the opening match and the final are likely to be played at the 78,000-seat Maracana Stadium that staged the final matches of the 1950 and the 2014 men's soccer World Cups.

Teenager dos Santos knows the hurdles for her to ever play for Brazil remain enormous — in 2027 or later. She doesn't have a professional club to play for, she only trains twice a week, and her nutrition is not the best due to limited food choices in the favela.

Most importantly, she often can't leave home to play when police and drug dealers shoot at each other in Complexo do Alemao.

Still, she is excited and hopeful about Brazil hosting the Women's World Cup, resulting in a big boost to her confidence.

“We have a dream (of playing for Brazil in the Women’s World Cup), and if we have that chance it will be the best thing in the world,” dos Santos told The Associated Press this week after a training session in the Complexo do Alemao.

She and about 70 other young women in the Bola de Ouro project train on an artificial grass pitch in a safe region of the 3-square kilometers long (1.15 square mile) community.

If not on the pitch, Dos Santos and her teammates will be happy enough just to attend games of a tournament they could only dream of watching up close until FIFA members voted for Brazil over the Germany-Netherlands-Belgium joint bid. The Women's World Cup was played for the first time in 1991 and will have its 10th edition in 2027.

A five-time champion in men's soccer, more than any other country, Brazil has yet to win its first Women's World Cup trophy. By then, it is unlikely superstar Marta, aged 38, will be in the roster. Dos Santos and thousands of young female footballers who have overcome sexism to take up the sport are keen to get inspiration from the six-time FIFA player of the year award winner and write their own history on home soil.

As many female footballers experience in Brazil, dos Santos and her teenage teammates rarely play without boys on their teams. Until recently, they also had to share the pitch with five-year-old girls, which didn't allow the older players to train as hard as they would like.

“(The Women's World Cup in Brazil) makes us focus even more in trying to get better. We need to be able to play in this,” said 16-year-old Kamilly Alves dos Santos, Kaylane's sister and also a player on the team. “We need to keep training, sharing our things."

Their team, which has already faced academy sides of big local clubs like Botafogo, is trained by two city activists who once tried to become players themselves.

Diogo Chaves, 38, and Webert Machado, 37, work hard to get some of their players to the Women's World Cup in Brazil, but if that's not possible they will be happy by keeping them in school.

Their non-profit group is funded solely by donations.

“At first, basically, the children wanted to eat. But now we have all of this,” said Chaves, adding that the project began three years ago. “We believe they can get to the national team. But our biggest challenge is opportunity. There's little for children from here, not only for the girls.”

Machado said the two coaches “are not here to fool anyone” and do not believe all the young women they train will become professionals.

“What we want from them is for they to be honest people, we all need to have our character,” Machado said. “We want to play and make them become nurses, doctors, firefighters, some profession in the future."

The two dos Santos sisters, as do many of their teammates, believe that reaching the Women's World Cup as Complexo do Alemao residents is possible. Brazil has more than 100 professional women's soccer teams, with other players living in favelas, too.

But it won't be easy.

“Sometimes I have to cancel appointments because of shootings, because there’s barricades on fire,” she said. “Sometimes police tell us to go back home, they say we can’t come down and point their guns to me, to my mother,” said Kamilly.

Her sister hopes the pair will overcome the violence, against the odds.

“I want to earn my living in soccer, fulfill all dreams," Kaylane says. "And I want to leave the Complexo do Alemao. I want to make it happen.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

An overhead view of the pitch where young women take part in a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Agatha smiles during a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Agatha strikes a ball during a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Young women ready breakfast for fellow participants as part of a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Relatives watch a soccer training session for young women run by the Bola de Ouro social program at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Young women and their coach Dioguinho bring it in for a team huddle at the start of a soccer training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024. Young women are participating in soccer programs led by community trainers, where they receive both sports and personal development training. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)