Tigers talk it out, end 11-game slide

TORONTO — Stuck in an 11game losing streak, the Tigers cleared the air with a pregame meeting. Then Nicholas Castellanos went out and cleared the bases with an important home run that helped stop the slide.

Castellanos hit his fourth career grand slam, Jordan Zimmermann pitched seven strong innings and the Tigers beat the Blue Jays 9-1 on Sunday.

Manager Ron Gardenhire scheduled the pregame meeting, a relaxed session in which players were invited to say whatever was on their minds. Castellanos called it an opportunity to “just kind of address the elephant in the room.”

“It gave anybody a chance that wanted to speak up to speak up,” said Castellanos, adding that Victor Martinez, James McCann and Gardenhire were among those who talked.

JaCoby Jones hit a two-run homer as the Tigers won for the first time since June 17, when they completed a three-game road sweep of the White Sox.

Castellanos nearly hit another home run in the ninth but Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar made a leaping catch at the wall.

“I felt like I was going to have a chance to make a play,” Pillar said. “A ball like that hit as high as it is it allows me time to kind of track the ball and track the fence and go up to try to make a play.”

Castellanos stopped on the basepaths to applaud Pillar’s catch before turning and heading back to the dugout.

“What else can you say besides ‘What a play,’ ” Castellanos said. “It sucks it had to happen to me but plays like that have to happen to somebody.”

Niko Goodrum had a careerhigh four hits and Jose Iglesias had two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers, who had lost 12 of 14 at Rogers Centre.