Colt Keith hit his first career home run and drove in two runs, Kerry Carpenter smacked a two-run homer and the host Detroit Tigers ended a five-game losing streak by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 on Friday night.
Kenta Maeda (2-1), activated off the 15-day injured list earlier in the day, pitched five scoreless innings to collect the win. Beau Brieske tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings and Jason Foley got the last out for his 11th save in the second game of a four-game series.
Toronto starter Alek Manoah (1-2) gave up six runs (four earned) and five hits in 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
Vladimir Guerrero had a two-out double in the top of the first and tried to score on Bo Bichette’s bloop single. But Carpenter threw Guerrero out at the plate from right field.
Toronto didn’t have another hit until Bichette’s two-out single in the fourth.
Keith won an eight-pitch at-bat against Manoah in the second for his breakthrough homer. He blasted a changeup over the right-center field fence.
Detroit extended its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Riley Greene led off with a double and moved to third on Mark Canha’s infield hit. Carpenter walked to load the bases before Matt Vierling reached on center fielder Kevin Kiermaier’s error, bringing home Greene.
Keith was then hit by a pitch, forcing in Canha. Zach McKinstry’s groundout two batters later scored Carpenter.
With two out in the fifth, Canha drew a walk before Carpenter smashed a Manoah changeup over the right-center field wall for his seventh homer to make it 6-0.
The Blue Jays had two runners on with two out in the eighth but Will Vest kept the shutout going by striking out Bichette.
Toronto ended the shutout bid with two outs in the ninth on consecutive singles by Ernie Clement, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and pinch hitters Davis Schneider and Alejandro Kirk off Andrew Chafin. Foley replaced Chafin and closed out the game by inducing a Danny Jansen groundout.
–Field Level Media
