Zach McKinstry hit a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning and the visiting Detroit Tigers went on to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Thursday night.
Jake Rogers also had an RBI double as the Tigers salvaged the final game of the three-game set and ended a six-game losing streak.
Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt (1-2) allowed two runs, four hits and three walks while striking out seven in six innings.
Detroit right-hander Spencer Turnbull (1-2) gave up one run, six hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out six.
Detroit continued to run the bases poorly in the second inning. Javier Baez doubled with one out but was doubled up on a fly out to center field when he forgot the number of outs in the inning and ran to third. Manager A.J. Hinch removed the shortstop from the game an inning later as Jonathan Schoop entered the game to play third base and Nick Maton moved from third base to shortstop.
Rogers singled with one out in the third inning, took third on Maton’s double and scored on Tyler Nevin’s sacrifice fly to open the scoring. Nevin was recalled from Triple-A Toledo before the game.
Toronto tied the game on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third that scored Cavan Biggio, who singled, stole second and took third on a flyout.
Akil Baddoo led off the fifth with a walk and scored from first on McKinstry’s double.
Chasen Shreve replaced Turnbull and pitched around a single and a stolen base in the sixth.
The Tigers loaded the bases with none out against Adam Cimber in the seventh but failed to score. Tim Mayza replaced Cimber with one out to get the final two outs.
Jason Foley pitched a perfect bottom of the seventh for Detroit.
Anthony Bass then allowed a leadoff double to Spencer Torkelson to start the eighth. Baddoo was intentionally walked with one out and Rogers delivered an RBI double with two out.
Jose Cisnero pitched around a single with a double play in the bottom of the eighth.
Alex Lange had a perfect bottom of the ninth to earn his second career save.
Toronto third baseman Matt Chapman, the major-league leader in OPS and total bases entering the game, was scratched with an illness. Santiago Espinal took his place.
–Field Level Media
