TORONTO (Interstat) — Kevin Gausman pitched 6 2/3 innings of six-hit, two-earned-run ball and Kazuma Okamoto homered and drove in two runs as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Cleveland Guardians 5-3 on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre in front of 41,543.

The Blue Jays, who had lost the series opener 8-6 on Friday, evened the three-game set behind a three-run sixth inning that erased a 1-0 deficit and gave them a lead they never relinquished. Toronto improved to 11-15, while Cleveland fell to 15-13.

Gausman, who entered with a 1-1 record, worked efficiently through six innings, striking out three and allowing just one earned run before leaving with two outs in the seventh. He lowered his ERA after winning his second straight start following a 10-4 victory at Arizona on April 19. Gausman allowed only four hits through five innings before Cleveland touched him for a solo home run by David Fry in the seventh.

Joey Cantillo took the loss for Cleveland, lasting five innings in his second start of the season. Cantillo allowed six hits and three earned runs while striking out four. He exited after the fifth with the game tied 1-1, but the Blue Jays broke through against the Cleveland bullpen in the sixth.

The game was scoreless through three innings. Cleveland broke the deadlock in the top of the fourth when Jose Ramirez led off with a double, advanced to third on a groundout by Rhys Hoskins and scored on a groundout by Brayan Rocchio. Rocchio’s grounder to shortstop Andres Gimenez allowed Ramirez to score, giving the Guardians a 1-0 lead.

Toronto answered immediately in the bottom of the fourth. Okamoto led off with a solo home run to center field, his fifth of the season, tying the game at 1-1. The Blue Jays loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, then took control.

After Cantillo was lifted, Cleveland reliever Matt Festa entered to begin the bottom of the sixth. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. greeted him with a sharp single to right. Okamoto followed with a single to left, moving Guerrero to third. Festa struck out Jesus Sanchez for the first out, but Daulton Varsho singled to right, scoring Guerrero and sending Okamoto to third. Davis Schneider struck out for the second out, but Gimenez doubled to left, clearing the bases and scoring Okamoto and Varsho to put Toronto ahead 4-1.

Gimenez, who finished 1-for-4 with two RBIs, provided the decisive blow. The Blue Jays added an insurance run in the seventh off Cleveland reliever Connor Brogdon. Myles Straw singled and Ernie Clement singled to put runners on first and second. Guerrero walked to load the bases, and Okamoto walked to force in Straw, making it 5-1.

Cleveland mounted a rally in the top of the ninth against Toronto closer Louis Varland. Trailing 5-1, Hoskins led off with a single, and George Valera singled to put runners on first and second. Kyle Manzardo doubled to left-center, scoring Hoskins and moving Valera to third. Juan Brito walked to load the bases with one out. But Varland struck out Bo Naylor and Brayan Rocchio to end the game and earn his second save of the season.

Varland, who allowed one earned run on three hits in his inning of work, had struck out two. He was one of four Toronto relievers used after Gausman departed. Tyler Rogers pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out one, and Mason Fluharty retired the only batter he faced in the eighth, striking out Naylor.

Cleveland’s only other run came in the seventh when Fry homered off Gausman with one out. Fry finished 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Ramirez had two hits, including a double. The Guardians out-hit Toronto 9-10 but left eight runners on base and struck out 11 times.

Key defensive plays included a pickoff by Gausman in the fifth inning. After Brayan Rocchio singled, Gausman picked him off first base on a throw from catcher Tyler Heineman to Guerrero. The call was upheld after a Toronto challenge.

For the Blue Jays, Ernie Clement had two hits, including a double. Straw also had two hits. Toronto’s bullpen combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings before Varland’s ninth-inning adventure, with Rogers and Fluharty each working clean frames.

Cleveland had won four of its previous six games entering Saturday, including a 8-4 victory over Baltimore on April 19 and a 6-0 shutout at Atlanta on April 11. The Guardians had lost six of their last 10 road games. Toronto had lost six of its last eight before Friday’s win, including a 7-3 defeat at Los Angeles on April 22 and a 3-7 loss to the Angels on April 22.

The game marked the second meeting of the season between the two clubs. Cleveland won the opener 8-6 on Friday, scoring five runs in the ninth inning to erase a 6-3 deficit. The series concludes Sunday.

Gausman’s recent outings have been solid. He allowed seven hits and two earned runs in six innings against Arizona on April 19, and six hits and three earned runs in five innings at Milwaukee on April 14. He has now allowed two earned runs or fewer in three of his six starts.

Cantillo, making his fourth appearance and second start, had allowed four hits and one earned run over four innings before the fourth-inning homer. He struck out four and walked one.

The game was played under cloudy skies with the Rogers Centre roof closed. The time of game was 2 hours, 35 minutes.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cleveland 4, Toronto 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Toronto with a 55.20 percent probability to win. Toronto had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5.