Spencer Torkelson drove in three runs, and Akil Baddoo put on a show in the outfield as the Detroit Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Rogers Centre.
The Tigers (31-16) took two of three from the Jays (22-24) over the weekend. All three games were decided by one run.
Detroit jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Jays starter José Berríos. After Kerry Carpenter and Zach McKinstry singled, Torkelson rapped a two-run double to bring them home.
The Jays tried to answer back in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles to lead off the frame, but Baddoo made a leaping catch against the wall to rob Daulton Varsho of extra bases. Then he caught Alejandro Kirk’s sinking liner, popped to his feet, and threw to second to double off the runner and end the inning.
But Baddoo made a double-robbing catch against the wall of Daulton Varsho’s deep fly. Then he caught Alejandro Kirk’s sinking liner, got to his feet and threw to second to double off the runner and end the inning.
“That play in left field changes the whole complexion of the beginning of the game,” Hinch told reporters in Toronto after the game. “It went from us being in trouble early to us getting out of innings. Those plays are huge.”
It wasn’t the last time Tigers starter Jackson Jobe would have to work around trouble. He allowed multiple baserunners before recording an out in the first, fourth, and fifth innings, but limited the damage to two runs over six innings. He struck out five and retired the final six batters he faced.
“The whole day was a grind, but (Jobe) did a really good job of hanging in there,” Hinch said. “He pitched out of some trouble. He was very aggressive. There were innings where he was completely dominant, especially when we needed it. For him to hang in there, get to 90 pitches, get through six and not have to go out and get him — that was a big reason we could set up the pen the way we did.”
Jobe improved to 4-0, and the Tigers are now 8-0 in games he starts.
The Tigers broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh when Gleyber Torres walked and scored on Torkelson’s RBI single.
“It’s copy and repeat. It’s what he’s done for this club the entire season,“ Hinch said of Torkelson. ”He’s been clutch. He’s hit the ball out of the ballpark. He’s driven the ball. He’s sort of answered the responsibility of hitting in the middle of the order on a good team. He’s displaying a really good ability to find the barrel when we need it.”
Unlike Saturday, when the bullpen lost a one-run lead, the Tigers’ relievers delivered in the late innings. Lefty Brant Hurter faced just one batter but struck out Varsho to end a threat in the seventh. Tommy Kahnle allowed only an infield single in a scoreless eighth. Will Vest struck out pinch-hitter George Springer and worked around an infield error to earn his fifth save with a scoreless ninth.
“We made him get four outs, and that’s always hard,” Hinch said. “He’s got a ton of confidence in his stuff. He’s going to pound the strike zone. He doesn’t concede. If anything, he speeds the game up and goes into attack mode.”
Up next: The Tigers open a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday at 7:45 p.m. Eastern time.
Right-hander Sonny Gray (4-1, 4.50 ERA) will start for the Cardinals.
The Tigers have not yet announced a starter, but right-hander Keider Montero (1-1, 4.68) is expected to start or pitch multiple innings behind an opener.
Gray is coming off his worst start of the season. He allowed seven runs on eight hits — including three home runs — in 3 2/3 innings on May 14 at Philadelphia.