Spencer Torkelson’s two-out RBI single brought home the winning run in the ninth inning as the host Detroit Tigers edged the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-2, on Friday night.
Torkelson’s opposite-field single off Jeff Hoffman (2-3) knocked in Matt Vierling, who reached on a bloop single and stole second. Detroit had lost eight of its last nine games, including three straight.
Riley Greene had an RBI double to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Greene has the longest active hitting streak in the majors and has reached base safely in a career-high 25 consecutive games.
Dillon Dingler added two hits and scored a run.
Drew Anderson tossed four innings of scoreless relief while allowing just one hit. Kenley Jansen (1-2) pitched an inning of scoreless relief.
Detroit reliever Ty Madden was removed in the third after being struck on his pitching arm by Yohendrick Pinango’s 108-mph line drive.
Toronto starter Trey Yesavage allowed two runs on four hits and struck out six in six innings. He also walked three and threw three wild pitches in the Blue Jays’ fourth loss in five games.
Andres Gimenez drove in both Toronto runs with a double.
Detroit had two baserunners with one out in the first but Yesavage struck out Greene and Vierling to escape the jam. The Blue Jays scored twice in the next inning.
Kazuma Okamoto led off with a double. With two outs, Brant Hunter walked Ernie Clement and then gave up Gimenez’s two-run double down the right field line.
The Tigers scored a run in the third. Kevin McGonigle drew a one-out walk and moved to second on Dingler’s single. With two outs and Greene at the plate, Yesavage threw two wild pitches to allow McGonigle to score.
Detroit knotted the score at 2-all in the sixth. Dingler reached on an infield single and raced to second on second baseman Clement’s throwing error. Dingler moved to third on a groundout and scored on Greene’s double to right.
