Tigers Turn First Triple Play Since 2001, Beat Blue Jays 5-4
By Ian Harrison
TORONTO (AP) — Jeimer Candelario helped turn Detroit's first triple play in 16 years, Nicholas Castellanos slugged his third career grand slam and the Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 on Friday night.
With runners at first and second, third baseman Candelario backhanded Kevin Pillar's grounder and stepped on third base before throwing the ball to second. Second baseman Ian Kinsler made a quick turn there, and his throw to first narrowly beat Pillar for the Tigers' first triple play since Aug. 1, 2001.
It was the ninth time the Blue Jays have hit into a triple play and first since July 2015.
Castellanos hit his slam off Marcus Stroman (11-7) in the third inning, and Kinsler added a solo shot in the seventh.
Tigers right-hander Buck Farmer (4-2) allowed two runs, one earned, in five innings.
Drew VerHagen pitched 1 1/3 innings, Daniel Stumpf got two outs, Alex Wilson worked the eighth and Shane Greene finished for his seventh save in 10 chances.
Jose Bautista and Richard Urena hit solo homers for last-place Toronto, which lost for the 15th time in 20 games. Urena connected off Wilson to begin the eighth, the first of his career.
Detroit did all its scoring against Stroman with a five-hit, bat-around third. All five hits came with two outs.
Stroman retired the first eight Tigers he faced before Dixon Machado doubled. Kinsler followed with a single, Candelario walked and Castellanos, making his first career start in right field, followed with his 21st homer.
Stroman left his previous start, Sept. 2 at Baltimore, in the second inning after being hit on the right elbow by Mark Trumbo's line drive. Against Detroit, he allowed four runs in six innings, losing for the first time since Aug. 11.
Toronto scored a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings before Kinsler made it 5-2 with a two-out drive off Danny Barnes in the seventh.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons rejoined the team after missing five games while attending to personal matters. Bullpen coach Dane Johnson left the team Friday to return to his Florida home in advance of Hurricane Irma. Former Blue Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen replaced Johnson.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (neck) had an injection Wednesday after being bothered by neck pain in his previous two starts and will not throw for three days. Zimmermann will rejoin the Tigers in Cleveland next week. ... RHP Michael Fulmer (elbow) is scheduled to visit surgeon Dr. James Andrews on Monday.
Blue Jays: 3B Josh Donaldson (illness) was scratched from the starting lineup. ... OF Steve Pearce (lower back) left after striking out in the first. He was replaced by Teoscar Hernandez.
UP NEXT
Tigers: LHP Chad Bell (0-2, 5.98) will make his second career start Saturday. He allowed five runs in four innings in a loss to Cleveland on Sunday.
Blue Jays: LHP Brett Anderson (2-3, 6.42) is 0-1 with a 3.08 ERA in two starts since joining Toronto's rotation.
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