CLEVELAND — Gavin Williams struck out a career-high 13 batters and allowed just two singles over seven innings, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 6-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night in a matchup of teams competing for the American League's final wild-card spot.

Williams (13-7) gave up one unearned run and did not allow a hit until the fourth inning. He struck out the side in the seventh and fanned five of his last six hitters, marking his 10th double-digit strikeout game of the season. The right-hander was coming off a shaky outing last week.

Patrick Bailey, rookie Angel Genao, and Angel Martinez each hit two-run home runs for the Guardians, who improved to 11-4 since Aug. 12. Cleveland entered the game holding a slim lead for the third wild-card spot.

Bailey put the Guardians ahead 2-1 in the fifth inning, driving a 3-1 pitch from Spencer Arighetti (7-8) into the left-field bleachers for his eighth homer. Angel Martinez had led off the inning with a walk.

Pinch-hitting in the seventh, Genao launched a 426-foot homer to left, extending the lead to 4-1. It was his second home run since debuting on Aug. 5. Martinez added his 14th homer of the season in the eighth inning.

Hunter Gaddis and Matt Festa each pitched an inning to close out the three-hitter.

The Blue Jays scored their only run in the fifth inning with help from a fielding error. Rookie Kazuma Okamoto singled, advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Bailey, and scored on a wild pitch by Williams.

The teams entered the contest separated by 1 1/2 games in the wild-card standings, with Cleveland holding a game in hand. Toronto had won three straight games, sweeping Seattle over the weekend, while Cleveland had gone 8-2 in its last 10, though the Guardians lost two of three against Kansas City before closing that series with an 11-1 victory Sunday.

Toronto opens a nine-game road trip with this series against the Guardians, followed by matchups with Kansas City and the Athletics.

The series continues Wednesday with Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease (9-5, 2.33 ERA) scheduled to face Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo (9-7, 3.70).