Everything Aligns In Blue Jays Rainy Win Over Tigers

A third-inning rain delay couldn't slow the Blue Jays in a dominant 10-1 victory over the Tigers.

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

DETROIT—They had it wrapped up before the rain started to fall.

With three homers and five extra-base hits in the first two innings, the Blue Jays slide ahead with an insurmountable lead before the drops hit the Comerica Park grass. Returning to the field after a 26-minute rain delay in the third, the next six innings seemed unnecessary—but the Jays won those, too.

"When everyone's having good quality at-bats, I think it just spirals into the next guy," George Springer said. "I want to pass the baton on to Bo, and him on to Vladdy, and Vladdy on down."

Tigers starter Elvin Rodriguez twisted his neck to left field as Bo Bichette jumped his fifth pitch of the game. After a Springer walk started the contest, Toronto's shortstop scorched a double to kick off the RBI fest. Eight different Jays recorded hits and six had RBI. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., alone, accounted for five hard-hit balls (hit over 95 miles per hour).

Every piece of Toronto contact seemed to find a hole. With 10 hits in his last five games entering Friday, Alejandro Kirk stayed scorching in Detroit. Slapping a pitch off the end of his bat in the sixth, Kirk snuck a hit by Spencer Torkelson at first, scored Toronto's 10th run of the game, and cashed his second RBI.

Ahead of Friday the Jays had scored six or more runs in nine of their last 10 games and the heater continued into Comerica. While the bats blazed, José Berríos kept the Tigers' sticks cool, posting eight innings with just one run allowed.

Berríos had a rough May, allowing 20 earned runs in 25.2 innings (7.01 ERA) and striking out over four batters in a start just once. Now two starts into June, though, and the quality starts are back, and Berríos is back to being José Berríos, he said.

"Last year I had it. In my last seven outings I was pretty good," Berrios said. "I think I helped the team alot. I want that feeling back."

Toronto used seven relievers to cover 7.1 innings last game, and an off day in between the Kansas City finale and Detroit opener didn't fully negate the tired arms in the pen. Before the game, Montoyo said he needed a lengthy start from Berríos, and despite the rain delay, the righty delivered.

Friday's contest was the type of game where everything aligned. It was the type of game where the final score was settled by the third inning and the backups could enter for rest in the seventh.

It's the type of game the Blue Jays are showing more and more often in recent weeks.