Smoak, Grichuk slug Blue Jays past Tigers

Justin Smoak and Randal Grichuk each hit a two-run home run and drove in three runs, Aaron Sanchez allowed one run in six innings and the visiting Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Detroit Tigers 8-4 on Sunday afternoon.

The Blue Jays avoided a three-game sweep in the series and ended a five-game losing streak with the victory. They completed a nine-game road trip at 3-6.

Leonys Martin hit a solo homer for the Tigers, who had their four-game winning streak ended.

Sanchez (3-5) held the Tigers to two hits and three walks while striking out seven as he recorded his first win since April 30, a span of five winless starts.

Tigers starter Michael Fulmer (2-5) allowed four runs, five hits and three walks while striking out three in six-plus innings.

Smoak followed a two-out walk to Yangervis Solarte in the sixth with his ninth home run of the season to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead.

Martin led off the bottom of the sixth with his seventh homer of the season to cut the lead in half.

The Blue Jays scored four runs in the seventh inning after their first two batters reached base when Kevin Pillar singled and Russell Martin walked. Fulmer was replaced by Warwick Saupold.

Pillar took third after right fielder Nick Castellanos caught a fly ball by Devon Travis at the wall. Grichuk followed with an RBI double and Aledmys Diaz blooped an RBI single to right. With two out, Solarte hit an RBI single to left and Smoak hit an RBI ground-rule double to center and the Blue Jays led 6-1.

Saupold allowed two runs and four hits in one inning.

Toronto’s Tyler Clippard pitched around a double and had two strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh.

Detroit’s Zac Reininger allowed a walk and the third homer of the season by Grichuk to give Toronto an 8-1 lead.

Danny Barnes started the bottom of the eighth and allowed a walk and a single in one-third of an inning before being replaced by Aaron Loup, who gave up RBI singles to Jeimer Candelario and Niko Goodrum.

Ryan Tepera came in to strike out John Hicks on a wild pitch, allowing the third run of the inning to score. Tepera pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts.

Tigers catcher James McCann left the game after the sixth inning with an intercostal injury and was replaced by Hicks.

–Field Level Media

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