Blue Jays back Berrios with early homers, rout Tigers 10–1

By: Dana Gauruder, The Associated Press Posted: 9:40 PM CDT Friday, Jun. 10, 2022 Last Modified: 10:29 PM CDT Friday, Jun. 10, 2022

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DETROIT (AP) — Lourdes Gurriel Jr., George Springer and Bo Bichette homered during a four-run second inning, Jose Berrios pitched eight strong innings and the Toronto Blue Jays routed the Detroit Tigers 10-1 on Friday night.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/06/2022 (1245 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Springer reached base four times while scoring three runs and knocking in a pair. Gurriel and Bichette added run-scoring doubles and the Blue Jays had eight extra-base hits during the first six innings. Toronto has won 12 of its last 15 games, scoring six or more runs in 11 of those victories.

“The at-bats have been great,” Springer said. “Guys are starting to slow things down a little bit and starting to understand how they’re being pitched. They’re just developing a plan and staying with it.”

Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer is congratulated in the dugout after his two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, June 10, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Berrios (5-2) allowed one run and five hits. He struck out five.

He held Minnesota to two runs and struck out 13 in seven innings in his previous start.

“I’ve been executing well,” he said. “Throwing quite a few sliders, quite a few sinkers. That’s why I’ve been successful out there.”

Detroit starter Elvin Rodriguez (0-2) was pounded for eight runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Pinch-hitter Willi Castro ended Berrios’ shutout bid with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo was hopeful of getting a complete game out of Berrios before he ran into eighth-inning trouble.

“He was lights out the whole game,” Montoyo said. “He wasn’t as sharp at the beginning (of the season) but we’re 9-3 when he takes the mound. Now in his last two outings, he’s been fun to watch. He gave us eight big innings, almost nine, today.”

The game was delayed 26 minutes during the third inning by rain.

Bichette and Alejandro Kirk had RBI doubles in the first. Toronto’s home run outburst in the second increased its lead to 6-0.

Rodriguez gave up 10 runs to the New York Yankees in his previous start.

“The middle part of the plate is trouble, especially against an offense like this, the way they’re swinging it,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “They can do damage throughout the lineup and we saw it.”

Santiago Espinal’s run-scoring single and Gurriel’s RBI double made it 8-0 in the fifth. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had an RBI double and Kirk supplied a run-scoring single in the sixth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero Jr. beats the throw to Detroit Tigers catcher Tucker Barnhart to score during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 10, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Tigers: RHP Casey Mize will have Tommy John surgery, manager A.J. Hinch announced prior to the game. Mize, the top pick of the 2018 June amateur draft, has been on the injured list with a right elbow sprain since April 15 after making two starts this season. Mize’s ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow is still intact, but a specialist determined the ligament had stretched to the point where it has lost elasticity and functionality.

ROSTER MOVES

Blue Jays: LHP Andrew Vasquez was placed on the 15-day IL with a right ankle sprain. RHP Jeremy Beasley was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.

Tigers: OF Robbie Grossman (neck strain) was activated from the 10-day injured list. He was removed in the eighth inning on Friday after fouling a ball off his leg. OF Daz Cameron was placed on the COVID IL after being a close contact of someone who tested positive.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Kevin Gausman (5-4, 2.78 ERA) will make his 12th start on Saturday. He had his shortest outing of the season against Minnesota on Sunday, allowing five runs (three earned) and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. He’s 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA in eight career starts against Detroit.

Tigers: RHP Beau Brieske (0-5, 5.93 ERA) is still seeking his first major league victory, though he deserved a better fate in his last start. He held the powerful New York Yankees lineup to two runs on three hits and struck out seven in six innings on Saturday.

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