Ernie Clement drove in four runs, including a three-run homer during a five-run, sixth-inning outburst, and the visiting Toronto Blue Jays blasted the slumping Detroit Tigers,11-4, on Thursday night.
Nathan Lukes had a double and two-run homer in the opener of a four-game series between the division leaders.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. supplied three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. Addison Barger also drove in two runs, while Joey Loperfido added a solo homer.
Eric Lauer (6-2) limited the Tigers to one run and five hits with six strikeouts in eight innings as Toronto won for the sixth time in seven games since the All-Star break.
Jahmai Jones and Spencer Torkelson homered for the Tigers, who have lost 10 of their last 11 games. Detroit starter Reese Olson (4-4) was charged with five runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Jones, the second batter in Detroit’s order, gave the Tigers an early lead with his homer. He smacked a Lauer fastball over the left-center field wall.
Lauer settled in from that point. Olson was cruising along as well, allowing just three baserunners in the first five innings, none of whom got past first base.
Everything changed in the sixth. George Springer drew a one-out walk and Guerrero lashed an Olson changeup to left for a double, scoring Springer. Following a groundout, Barger was given an intentional walk.
That strategy backfired, as Clement jumped on a hanging slider and drove it over the left-center field wall. Loperfido made it 5-1 four pitches later when he yanked a changeup over the right field wall.
Toronto’s onslaught continued in the seventh against Dietrich Enns. Lukes led off with a double and scored on Guerrero’s one-out single. After Bo Bichette reached on an infield hit, Barger ripped a triple to right to bring in two runs. Barger then scored on a Clement sacrifice fly to make it 9-1.
Lukes blasted his homer in the eighth off Geoff Hartlieb, who was elevated from Triple-A Toledo earlier in the day.
–Field Level Media
