Blue Jays at Tigers
The Toronto Blue Jays are hoping they can climb back into contention in the second half, and they emerged from the All-Star break with the kind of effort that just might sustain them. The Blue Jays can claim a series win and keep alive a mini-surge when they play the second of three straight games in Detroit against the Tigers on Saturday.
Toronto utilized home runs from Jose Bautista and Steve Pearce as well as an outstanding start by Aaron Sanchez to coast to a 7-2 victory in the series opener, its fifth win in the last seven games. The Tigers have lost three of their last four and left nine runners on base in Friday's setback, which came without second baseman and leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler (flu-like symptoms). Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson had a pair of RBIs and he's driven in seven runs during a five-game hitting streak. Michael Fulmer, whose name has surfaced in recent trade rumors, gets the start Saturday for the Tigers opposite Blue Jays southpaw Francisco Liriano.
TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, TVA Sports (Toronto), SportsNet (Toronto), FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Francisco Liriano (5-4, 5.56 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Michael Fulmer (9-6, 3.19)
Liriano will be making the 300th major-league appearance (271st start) of his career and seeking his second straight win after topping Houston on July 6. He held the Astros to three runs in six innings for just his fourth quality start of the year. Victor Martinez is 13-for-31 against Liriano, who is 6-10 with a 5.26 ERA in 27 games (20 starts) against Detroit.
Fulmer entered the break tied for the American League lead with 15 quality starts and he has won three straight outings. His most recent triumph came at Cleveland on Sunday, when the 24-year-old yielded three runs (two earned) in six innings of a 5-3 victory. Fulmer held the Blue Jays to two hits in six scoreless innings in his only prior start against them last June.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Blue Jays are 87-56 after the All-Star break over the past two-plus seasons.
2. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera is one RBI shy of tying Hall-of-Famers George Brett and Mike Schmidt (1,595) for 38th on the all-time list.
3. Toronto has won 14 of the last 20 meetings with Detroit.