Bo Bichette broke a scoreless deadlock with a two-run single in the eighth inning and the streaking Toronto Blue Jays downed the host Detroit Tigers 6-1 on Saturday.
Nathan Lukes supplied a two-run homer and George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added solo homers for Toronto, which has won four straight and eight of nine since the All-Star break.
Braydon Fisher (4-0) notched the win in relief.
The Tigers have dropped six straight and 12 of their last 13.
The game featured a pitchers’ duel between starters Kevin Gausman and Tarik Skubal. Gausman limited the Tigers to one hit and one walk with 10 strikeouts in six innings. Skubal allowed five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in six innings.
Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk, who doubled to right with two out in the second, served as the game’s first baserunner. Jake Rogers was the Tigers’ first baserunner after hitting a single with two outs in the third.
Toronto had runners in scoring position the next inning as Guerrero Jr. singled with one out and Bichette followed with a double. Catcher Rogers picked off Guerrero to get the second out.
A huge defensive play by Detroit center fielder Matt Vierling in the sixth kept the game scoreless. The Blue Jays loaded the bases with one out as Springer singled and Guerrero and Bichette drew walks. Tyler Heineman then smacked a seemingly go-ahead hit to center.
The ball dropped in front of Vierling, but he scooped it and gunned it home in time for Rogers to tag out Springer. Addison Barger then struck out to leave the bases loaded.
In the top of the eighth, Joey Loperfido led off with a pinch-hit single against Will Vest (5-2). Springer followed with another single and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. After a groundout, Bichette smacked a single to knock in both runners.
Toronto padded its lead in the ninth against Chase Lee. After Ernie Clement hit a leadoff single, Lukes smashed a homer to right. With two out, Springer and Guerrero blasted consecutive solo shots to make it 6-0.
Riley Greene’s RBI groundout in the ninth prevented the shutout.
–Field Level Media
