Manoah Mows Down 8 in Return

Former West Virginia University hurler Alek Manoah bounces back with a win over Detroit

Alek Manoah (2-7) returned to the mound Friday night for the Toronto Blue Jays and was back in form, after a brief stint in the minor leagues, and collected his first win since April, striking out eight in the win over the Detroit Tigers.

The former WVU ace held a 6.31 ERA and a 1-7 record in his first 11 starts of the season and the six-run first inning he allowed in his previous appearance for the Blue Jays a month ago was a microcosm of the early season struggles. 

It was a stark contrast from the Homestead, FL native that finished third behind Justin Verlander and Dylan Cease in the 2022 Cy Young race with a 2.24 ERA and a 16-7 record. 

Manoah looked like the fiery competitor a season ago against the Tigers on Firday and had his slider working early against the Tigers on Friday, registering his first strikeout in the first and faced the minimum in the second, notching a pair of Ks to up his Friday night total to three through first two innings. 

The Tigers produced a run in the third on three base hits to tie the game at one, but the Blue Jays bats gave Manoah some cushion and broke the game open in the fourth, putting up six runs in the fourth, then the former Mountaineers hurler followed in the bottom of the frame with a 1-2-3 inning and a pair of strikeouts. 

Alek Manoah's 5Ks thru 4. pic.twitter.com/OAiPkdGQc1

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 7, 2023

Manoah fanned three Tiger hitters in the sixth to cap off his night, upping his season total to 56. 

Alek Manoah. 8th K. pic.twitter.com/bXNezPoDcF

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 8, 2023

Manoah and the Blue Jays sit seven games back in the AL East, and Toronto will need his wicked slider on the back half of the season to make a playoff push. 

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