Gausman strikes out 10 and Blue Jays hit 3 homers in 9-1 win over skidding Tigers
Toronto Blue Jays' Cavan Biggio is greeted in the dugout next to Daulton Varsho after Varsho's two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Carlos Osorio
DETROIT — Kevin Gausman struck out a season-best 10 in six innings, Daulton Varsho hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh and the Toronto Blue Jays pulled away for a 9-1 victory over the skidding Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Isiah Kiner-Falefa also went deep as the Blue Jays (23-26) won for the fourth time in five games. Bo Bichette had three hits.
Detroit (23-27) has lost five straight.
Gausman (3-3) allowed one run and three hits as the teams played without replay review available for much of the game because of a power failure that disrupted both club broadcasts.
There were no calls that appeared likely to trigger a manager's challenge before the replay system was restored in the seventh.
Jack Flaherty (1-4) gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out nine.
Kiner-Falefa gave the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead with his homer in the third. Toronto put runners on the corners with one out in the fourth, but Bichette was picked off first by Flaherty.
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Carlos Osorio
Kiner-Falefa tripled with two outs in the fifth, but Flaherty struck out Kevin Kiermaier to end the inning.
The Tigers didn’t get a hit until Javier Báez led off the sixth with a single. Carson Kelly followed with another base hit, but Gausman retired the next two batters.
With two outs, Wenceel Pérez hit a tying single to right-center, but Kiermaier threw out Kelly at the plate to keep it 1-all.
Daniel Vogelbach opened the seventh with a single off the wall in right-center. One out later, Varsho put the Blue Jays up 3-1 with his team-high ninth homer.
Toronto Blue Jays' Isiah Kiner-Falefa watches his triple to center during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Carlos Osorio
Toronto tacked on three more runs in the eighth. With one out, Danny Jansen walked and went to third on Guerrero's double. RBI singles by Bichette and Justin Turner made it 5-1, and George Springer followed with a sacrifice fly.
Jansen added an RBI double in the ninth and Guerrero followed with his fifth homer.
UP NEXT
The teams continue their four-game series Friday, with RHP Alek Manoah (1-1, 3.00 ERA) facing Detroit RHP Matt Manning (0-1, 4.88).
