TORONTO -- With the Detroit Tigers facing a tough situation, manager Brad Ausmus asked reliever Drew VerHagen to deliver a double-play grounder.
With an assist from rookie third baseman Jeimer Candelario, VerHagen went one better.
Candelario helped turn Detroit's first triple play in 16 years, Nicholas Castellanos slugged his third career grand slam and the Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 on Friday night.
With runners at first and second, Candelario backhanded Kevin Pillar's grounder and stepped on third base. Second baseman Ian Kinsler took his feed and made a quick turn for the second out, and his throw to first narrowly beat Pillar for the Tigers' first triple play since Aug. 1, 2001.
It was the 34th triple play in team history, and the first for Detroit in a game that also included a Tigers grand slam.
"Candy made a great play," VerHagen said. "That ball was hit pretty hard, that wasn't an easy play at all. He picked me up, for sure."
Ausmus joked that VerHagen hadn't done as asked.
"He actually didn't really follow direction because I told him to get a double play and he didn't," Ausmus said.
Candelario said Kinsler warned him to be ready for a triple play before it happened.
"I was prepared, man," Candelario said. "I said, `If he gives me a grounder to the other side, I'm going to do this."
It was the ninth time the Blue Jays have hit into a triple play and first since July 2015.
"You think maybe the ball is down in the corner and we're sitting on a big inning," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "That was a big part of the game, no doubt."
Castellanos hit his slam off Marcus Stroman (11-7) in the third inning, and Kinsler added a solo shot in the seventh.
Tigers right-hander Buck Farmer (4-2) allowed two runs, one earned, in five innings.
"He did what he normally does when he pitches well," Ausmus said. "He locates his fastball and uses his breaking ball."
VerHagen pitched 1 1/3 innings, Daniel Stumpf got two outs, Alex Wilson worked the eighth and Shane Greene finished for his seventh save in 10 chances.
Jose Bautista and Richard Urena hit solo homers for last-place Toronto, which lost for the 15th time in 20 games. Urena connected off Wilson to begin the eighth, the first of his career.
Detroit did all its scoring against Stroman with a five-hit, bat-around third. All five hits came with two outs.
Stroman retired the first eight Tigers he faced before Dixon Machado doubled. Kinsler followed with a single, Candelario walked and Castellanos, making his first career start in right field, followed by crushing the first pitch for his 21st homer.
"I just told myself to look for something over the plate and drive it to the big part of the field," Castellanos said.
Stroman left his previous start, Sept. 2 at Baltimore, in the second inning after being hit on the right elbow by Mark Trumbo's line drive. Against Detroit, he allowed four runs in six innings, losing for the first time since Aug. 11.
"Felt like I made some good pitches throughout the day," Stroman said. "Definitely wasn't at 100 percent."
Toronto scored a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings before Kinsler made it 5-2 with a two-out drive off Danny Barnes.
ON A TEAR
Castellanos has 26 RBI in his past 25 games. He has hit safely in 10 of his past 11, and is batting .378 (17 for 45) in that span.
OUT IN THE FIELD
Castellanos had not played the outfield since making nine appearances in left during his rookie season in 2013.
SANCHEZ GOES SUNDAY
Ausmus said RHP Anibal Sanchez, who left his previous outing after just five pitches when he was struck on the right calf by a batted ball, will start Sunday against the Blue Jays.
BACK IN THE SADDLE
Gibbons rejoined the team after missing five games while attending to personal matters. Bullpen coach Dane Johnson left the team Friday to return to his Florida home in advance of Hurricane Irma. Former Blue Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen replaced Johnson.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (neck) had an injection Wednesday after being bothered by neck pain in his previous two starts and will not throw for three days. Zimmermann will rejoin the Tigers in Cleveland next week. ... RHP Michael Fulmer (elbow) is scheduled to visit surgeon Dr. James Andrews on Monday.
Blue Jays: 3B Josh Donaldson (illness) was scratched from the starting lineup. ... OF Steve Pearce (lower back) left after striking out in the first. He was replaced by Teoscar Hernandez.
UP NEXT
Tigers: LHP Chad Bell (0-2, 5.98) will make his second career start Saturday. He allowed five runs in four innings in a loss to Cleveland on Sunday.
Blue Jays: LHP Brett Anderson (2-3, 6.42) is 0-1 with a 3.08 ERA in two starts since joining Toronto's rotation.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
With an assist from rookie third baseman Jeimer Candelario, VerHagen went one better.
Candelario helped turn Detroit's first triple play in 16 years, Nicholas Castellanos slugged his third career grand slam and the Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 on Friday night.
With runners at first and second, Candelario backhanded Kevin Pillar's grounder and stepped on third base. Second baseman Ian Kinsler took his feed and made a quick turn for the second out, and his throw to first narrowly beat Pillar for the Tigers' first triple play since Aug. 1, 2001.
It was the 34th triple play in team history, and the first for Detroit in a game that also included a Tigers grand slam.
"Candy made a great play," VerHagen said. "That ball was hit pretty hard, that wasn't an easy play at all. He picked me up, for sure."
Ausmus joked that VerHagen hadn't done as asked.
"He actually didn't really follow direction because I told him to get a double play and he didn't," Ausmus said.
Candelario said Kinsler warned him to be ready for a triple play before it happened.
"I was prepared, man," Candelario said. "I said, `If he gives me a grounder to the other side, I'm going to do this."
It was the ninth time the Blue Jays have hit into a triple play and first since July 2015.
"You think maybe the ball is down in the corner and we're sitting on a big inning," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "That was a big part of the game, no doubt."
Castellanos hit his slam off Marcus Stroman (11-7) in the third inning, and Kinsler added a solo shot in the seventh.
Tigers right-hander Buck Farmer (4-2) allowed two runs, one earned, in five innings.
"He did what he normally does when he pitches well," Ausmus said. "He locates his fastball and uses his breaking ball."
VerHagen pitched 1 1/3 innings, Daniel Stumpf got two outs, Alex Wilson worked the eighth and Shane Greene finished for his seventh save in 10 chances.
Jose Bautista and Richard Urena hit solo homers for last-place Toronto, which lost for the 15th time in 20 games. Urena connected off Wilson to begin the eighth, the first of his career.
Detroit did all its scoring against Stroman with a five-hit, bat-around third. All five hits came with two outs.
Stroman retired the first eight Tigers he faced before Dixon Machado doubled. Kinsler followed with a single, Candelario walked and Castellanos, making his first career start in right field, followed by crushing the first pitch for his 21st homer.
"I just told myself to look for something over the plate and drive it to the big part of the field," Castellanos said.
Stroman left his previous start, Sept. 2 at Baltimore, in the second inning after being hit on the right elbow by Mark Trumbo's line drive. Against Detroit, he allowed four runs in six innings, losing for the first time since Aug. 11.
"Felt like I made some good pitches throughout the day," Stroman said. "Definitely wasn't at 100 percent."
Toronto scored a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings before Kinsler made it 5-2 with a two-out drive off Danny Barnes.
ON A TEAR
Castellanos has 26 RBI in his past 25 games. He has hit safely in 10 of his past 11, and is batting .378 (17 for 45) in that span.
OUT IN THE FIELD
Castellanos had not played the outfield since making nine appearances in left during his rookie season in 2013.
SANCHEZ GOES SUNDAY
Ausmus said RHP Anibal Sanchez, who left his previous outing after just five pitches when he was struck on the right calf by a batted ball, will start Sunday against the Blue Jays.
BACK IN THE SADDLE
Gibbons rejoined the team after missing five games while attending to personal matters. Bullpen coach Dane Johnson left the team Friday to return to his Florida home in advance of Hurricane Irma. Former Blue Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen replaced Johnson.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (neck) had an injection Wednesday after being bothered by neck pain in his previous two starts and will not throw for three days. Zimmermann will rejoin the Tigers in Cleveland next week. ... RHP Michael Fulmer (elbow) is scheduled to visit surgeon Dr. James Andrews on Monday.
Blue Jays: 3B Josh Donaldson (illness) was scratched from the starting lineup. ... OF Steve Pearce (lower back) left after striking out in the first. He was replaced by Teoscar Hernandez.
UP NEXT
Tigers: LHP Chad Bell (0-2, 5.98) will make his second career start Saturday. He allowed five runs in four innings in a loss to Cleveland on Sunday.
Blue Jays: LHP Brett Anderson (2-3, 6.42) is 0-1 with a 3.08 ERA in two starts since joining Toronto's rotation.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Detroit - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto | DET | TOR |
| Kinsler struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Candelario grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Castellanos lined out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Buck Farmer pitching for Detroit | DET | TOR |
| Pearce struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Bautista walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Smoak walked, Bautista to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Morales flied out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Pillar flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto | DET | TOR |
| Hernández in left field. | 0 | 0 |
| Hicks grounded out to catcher. | 0 | 0 |
| Mahtook flied out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| McCann struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Buck Farmer pitching for Detroit | DET | TOR |
| Goins grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Barney fouled out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| Lopez flied out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto | DET | TOR |
| Navarro grounded out to pitcher. | 0 | 0 |
| Romine grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Machado doubled to right center. | 0 | 0 |
| Kinsler singled to shallow left, Machado to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Candelario walked, Kinsler to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Castellanos homered to center (405 feet), Machado, Kinsler and Candelario scored. | 4 | 0 |
| Hicks singled to left center. | 4 | 0 |
| Mahtook reached on infield single to shortstop, Hicks to third. | 4 | 0 |
| McCann struck out swinging. | 4 | 0 |
| 4 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Buck Farmer pitching for Detroit | DET | TOR |
| Ureña grounded out to first. | 4 | 0 |
| Hernández lined out to center. | 4 | 0 |
| Bautista doubled to deep left. | 4 | 0 |
| Smoak flied out to right. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto | DET | TOR |
| Navarro struck out swinging. | 4 | 0 |
| Romine grounded out to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Machado grounded out to shortstop. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Buck Farmer pitching for Detroit | DET | TOR |
| Morales fouled out to catcher. | 4 | 0 |
| Pillar grounded out to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Goins popped out to shortstop. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto | DET | TOR |
| Kinsler grounded out to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Candelario struck out swinging. | 4 | 0 |
| Castellanos grounded out to third. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Buck Farmer pitching for Detroit | DET | TOR |
| Barney struck out looking. | 4 | 0 |
| Lopez flied out to left. | 4 | 0 |
| Ureña singled to deep left. | 4 | 0 |
| Hernández doubled to center, Ureña scored. | 4 | 1 |
| Hernández picked off second. | 4 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto | DET | TOR |
| Hicks struck out swinging. | 4 | 1 |
| Mahtook grounded out to third. | 4 | 1 |
| McCann singled to center. | 4 | 1 |
| Navarro grounded out to second. | 4 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Buck Farmer pitching for Detroit | DET | TOR |
| Bautista struck out swinging, Bautista safe at first on passed ball by McCann. | 4 | 1 |
| Smoak singled to deep right, Bautista to second. | 4 | 1 |
| Morales singled to deep center, Bautista scored, Smoak to second. | 4 | 2 |
| VerHagen relieved Farmer. | 4 | 2 |
| Pillar grounded into triple play, third to second to first, Smoak out at third, Morales out at second. | 4 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Danny Barnes pitching for Toronto | DET | TOR |
| Barnes relieved Stroman. | 4 | 2 |
| Romine popped out to shortstop. | 4 | 2 |
| Machado grounded out to third. | 4 | 2 |
| Kinsler homered to left (368 feet). | 5 | 2 |
| Candelario flied out to center. | 5 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Drew VerHagen pitching for Detroit | DET | TOR |
| Goins singled to shallow right. | 5 | 2 |
| Barney flied out to left. | 5 | 2 |
| Stumpf relieved VerHagen. | 5 | 2 |
| Refsnyder hit for Lopez. | 5 | 2 |
| Refsnyder grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Goins out at second. | 5 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Tom Koehler pitching for Toronto | DET | TOR |
| Maile catching. | 5 | 2 |
| Koehler relieved Barnes. | 5 | 2 |
| Castellanos lined out to left. | 5 | 2 |
| Hicks struck out looking. | 5 | 2 |
| Mahtook lined out to right. | 5 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Alex Wilson pitching for Detroit | DET | TOR |
| Jones in center field. | 5 | 2 |
| Mahtook in right field. | 5 | 2 |
| Wilson relieved Stumpf. | 5 | 2 |
| Ureña homered to left (368 feet). | 5 | 3 |
| Hernández struck out swinging. | 5 | 3 |
| Bautista homered to left center (402 feet). | 5 | 4 |
| Smoak flied out to left. | 5 | 4 |
| Morales grounded out to pitcher. | 5 | 4 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Ryan Tepera pitching for Toronto | DET | TOR |
| Tepera relieved Koehler. | 5 | 4 |
| McCann struck out swinging. | 5 | 4 |
| Navarro lined out to center. | 5 | 4 |
| Romine grounded out to shortstop. | 5 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Shane Greene pitching for Detroit | DET | TOR |
| Greene relieved Wilson. | 5 | 4 |
| Pillar grounded out to shortstop. | 5 | 4 |
| Goins lined out to shortstop. | 5 | 4 |
| Saunders hit for Barney. | 5 | 4 |
| Saunders walked. | 5 | 4 |
| Montero hit for Maile. | 5 | 4 |
| Montero struck out swinging. | 5 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit Tigers | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Kinsler 2B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 | .238 | .317 | .396 |
| Candelario 3B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18 | .348 | .444 | .435 |
| Castellanos RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .255 | .307 | .461 |
Jones CF
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .174 | .260 | .314 |
| Hicks DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | .312 | .368 | .529 |
| Mahtook CF-RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | .276 | .328 | .452 |
| McCann C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15 | .260 | .330 | .435 |
| Navarro 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | .105 | .150 | .105 |
| Romine LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | .238 | .296 | .361 |
| Machado SS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | .292 | .333 | .362 |
| Totals | 34 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 133 | |||
| BATTING 2B: Machado (4, Stroman) HR: Castellanos (21, 3rd inning off Stroman 3 on, 2 Out); Kinsler (16, 7th inning off Barnes 0 on, 2 Out) RBI: Castellanos 4 (84), Kinsler (41) 2-out RBI: Castellanos 4, Kinsler Tigers RISP: 2-3 (Kinsler 1-1, McCann 0-1, Castellanos 1-1) Team LOB: 3 | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 1 (Kinsler-Machado-Navarro). TP: 1 (Candelario-Kinsler-Navarro). PB: McCann. | ||||||||||
Game Notes
| LF PEARCE (LOWER BACK STIFFNESS) LEFT GAME TOP 2ND |
Game Information
| Stadium | Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON |
| Attendance | 31,961 (64.9% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:34 |
| Weather | 61 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 11 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Alfonso Marquez, First Base - Chad Fairchild, Second Base - Roberto Ortiz, Third Base - Kerwin Danley |
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