TORONTO – Catcher Jake Rogers’ grand slam highlighted a six-run sixth inning to help the Detroit Tigers to a 7-3 win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.
Vladimir Guerrero went 3 for 4 and belted a two-run homer as part of a three-run sixth for Toronto (44-54).
But Rogers’ decisive blow delivered the Tigers (49-50) their 10th win in 12 outings and the first two games of the three-game set against Toronto before 38,583 at Rogers Centre.
Down 7-0, Kevin Kiermaier blooped a one-out double down the left-field line and scored on George Springer’s single. Guerrero then hit his team-leading 16th homer with two out off reliever Kenta Maeda to straightaway centre. It was Guerrero’s second long ball of the series.
After giving up back-to-back singles with two out in the first inning, Toronto starter Yusei Kikuchi (4-9) settled down to retire 12 of the next 13 Tigers before Alex Vilade’s single to centre with two out in the fifth.
Vilade chugged home on Andy Ibanez’s double down the left-field line. Toronto’s Daulton Varsho bobbled the hit and was given an error, allowing the slow-footed Vilade to score and Ibanez to end up at third.
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Kikuchi’s day concluded when he loaded the bases to begin the sixth with a single to Matt Vierling, a walk to Mark Canha and hit Wenceel Perez.
Rogers greeted reliever Trevor Richards with a 391-foot shot into the left-field seats for his third career grand slam.
Richards only retired one of the six batters he faced. Ibanez singled home Javier Baez with Richards still on the mound to push the Tigers advantage to 6-0.
Detroit sent 11 batters to the plate in the sixth inning, scoring a final run on reliever Brendon Little’s wild pitch.
Detroit starter Reese Olson departed after two innings and 30 pitches with a sore right shoulder. He gave up a Guerrero single and two walks but was bailed out by double plays to end each of his innings.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch employed a series of relievers to preserve the shutout. Alex Faedo (5-1), Maeda and Tyler Holton went two innings apiece with Shelby Miller closing the ninth.
BROKEN BO
The Blue Jays placed Bo Bichette on the 10-day injured list after leaving the series opener against Detroit with a strained right calf.
He missed the final four games before the all-star break and 10 days in late June with the same ailment.
To replace Bichette, Toronto recalled infielder/outfielder Addison Barger from Triple-A Buffalo.
ON DECK
Kevin Gausman (7-8) will start for the Blue Jays in the series finale on Sunday. The Tigers will counter with righty Keider Montero (1-2).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press