*Photo from MLB.com*
It might be time to watch out for Detroit. Mark Canha homered and drove in two runs, Wenceel Perez hit the game winning homer, and the Detroit Tigers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays with a 5-4 victory Friday night in Toronto.
The Tigers have kept their pre-break momentum going, winning their 3rd straight game, 8th out of 10, and 9th out of 11 by winning the series opener in Canada. Starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, right in the center of ongoing trade rumors, won for the 6th time in 7 starts.
Canha said of their latest win "It's just good to kind of get back in that competitive mode. We'd been doing a great job of winning these close games last week during the Dodgers series. Today was just another one of those games where we were like, ‘Come on!’ We were really rallying together to win another one."
After the first 3 innings were scoreless, the Tigers got themselves on the board in the 4th inning. Riley Greene gave them a 1-0 lead when his single into right field scored Matt Vierling. The next batter was Canha, who drove his 7th home run of the season to center field to make it 3-0 Tigers, his first home run since May 11.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr got the Blue Jays on the board in the 6th inning, drilling a two run home run to left field to make it 3-2 on his 15th long ball of the year. In the 7th, Perez hit a two run homer of his own, making it 5-2 on his shot to center field. In the 8th, George Springer made it a one run game for the Blue Jays with a two run home run, but the Tigers held it down from there.
Flaherty had another strong start for the Tigers, giving up two runs on 3 hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings, striking out 8 hitters. Will Vest finished the 6th before Andrew Chafin pitched a scoreless 7th. Beau Brieske allowed two runs before Jason Foley and Tyler Holton closed out the win.
Canha said of Flaherty's latest strong start "It seems like every time out he’s capable of that. He’s been a rock for us and he’s doing great things. He’s one of those guys that you’re like, ‘Man, where would we be without him?’ He’s just doing it, and he’s been doing it all year."
Chris Bassitt was hit to the tune of 5 runs on 7 hits and a walk while picking up 6 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings in his start for the Blue Jays. Genesis Cabrera pitched one scoreless inning before giving way to Ryan Burr for the last out of the 8th inning. Chad Green worked the 9th inning and kept the Tigers offense off the board.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday afternoon. Reese Olson is set to start for the Tigers as they go for the series win, while Yusei Kikuchi takes the mound for the Blue Jays as they try to even the series ahead of Sunday's finale.
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