Castellanos grand slam, triple play lead Tigers
TORONTO — Nick Castellanos hit a grand slam and the Tigers turned a rare triple play as Detroit held on for a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in American League baseball action Friday night.
Ian Kinsler added a solo home run for Detroit (60-80). Starting pitcher Buck Farmer (4-2) allowed two runs — one earned — over five innings of work, striking out three. Drew VerHagen, Daniel Stumpf, Alex Wilson and Shane Greene came in from the bullpen for the Tigers, with Wilson allowing a pair of home runs.
Greene earned the save, only allowing a walk to pinch-hitter Michael Saunders.
Jose Bautista crushed a solo home run and Richard Urena hit the first homer of his career, both in the eighth inning, for Toronto (64-77). The Blue Jays have lost three straight.
Marcus Stroman (11-7) struck out six over six innings of work, allowing Castellanos’s grand slam.
It was Stroman’s first start since being hit on the elbow by a comebacker in the second inning of the Blue Jays’ 7-2 win in Baltimore on Sept. 2.
Danny Barnes, Tom Koehler and Ryan Tepera relieved Stroman. Barnes allowed one run on Kinsler’s homer in the seventh.
Manager John Gibbons also returned to the Blue Jays’ dugout after missing five games to attend to personal business in his home state of Texas.
Steve Pearce was replaced in Toronto’s left field by Teoscar Hernandez to start the second inning. Pearce had lower back stiffness after striking out to lead off the Blue Jays’ first inning.
After two hits and a walk loaded the bases in the third inning, Castellanos hit a grand slam to give Detroit a 4-0 lead. Toronto centre-fielder Kevin Pillar seemed to have the ball tracked down toward the warning track but then suddenly turned to watch the ball go over the outfield wall.