TORONTO – Something special happened in Rogers Centre on Monday, Sept. 14.
No, it wasn’t perfection that was brewing, even though Toronto Blue Jays pitcher José Soriano had a perfect game still going with one out in the sixth inning, until Zach McKinstry broke it up with a walk.
No, it wasn’t a no-hitter, even though Soriano took a no-no into the seventh, before it was broken up by Gleyber Torres with no outs.
It was, however, a night of comebacks for the Detroit Tigers – not once, but twice – as just about everybody contributed in the 6-5 win.
All in all, it was a strange night with a game that had a postseason feel. The Rogers Centre roof was open, there was a nip in the air and the place was packed to the brim with a sold-out crowd of 42,867.
Yes, on a Monday night. But this game had all kinds of postseason implications.
The Blue Jays came into this game one game behind Cleveland for the final wild-card spot, and they were on a hot streak after winning 11 of their last 17 games. Instead it was the Tigers (71-79) gaining a game on the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final American League wild-card berth. With the Guardians' loss at home to the Chicago White Sox, and the Tigers' fifth straight victory, Detroit sits just 4½ games out of a playoff spot, with 12 games to play.
At the plate: Trying to avoid perfection
Soriano took a perfect game into the sixth inning. Then, he struck out Spencer Torkelson: 16 up, 16 down.
But the perfect night ended when McKinstry earned a walk.
But still, he had that no-hitter going. Some of it was weak contact by the Tigers – OK, a lot of it. Some of it was swing and miss – the Tigers whiffed eight times through the first six innings. And some of it was having a glove in the right place at the right time. Brett Callahan made some nice contact, rifling a shot up the middle, but Soriano calmly stuck out his glove and snagged it.
But Torres broke up the no-hitter with a single to center to open the seventh. And it was like a switch flipped. Riley Greene stayed hot, ripping a ball into center to send Torres to third. Then, the Tigers kept stacking good at bats, as Dillon Dingler singled, cutting the Toronto lead to 2-1. Max Clark doubled to left – a beautiful opposite-field hit that landed just inside the line to drive in two runs for a 3-2 lead. Then, Spencer Torkelson hit a double down the left-field line, making it 4-2.
In the eighth inning, the Tigers tied it up again, 5-5, when Brett Callahan singled off Toronto closer Louis Varland.
The Tigers then took the lead in the ninth after McKinstry stole second against Varland. Hao-Yu Lee hit a grounder to first base. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a throwing error, allowing McKinstry to score, as the Tigers took a 6-5 lead.
On the mound: Troy Melton struggles but keep it close
While Soriano was mowing down the Tigers, right-hander Troy Melton was struggling for the Tigers.
Literally from the start. Melton had a rough, shaky first inning, giving up a hit to Brett Bateman and walked George Springer – the Blue Jays' first two hitters. Then, Alejandro Kirk laced a line drive into left field, driving in a run. Melton was fighting his command and bounced a fastball in front of the plate. Catcher Dillon Dingler was on the other side of the plate and had to reach back for it, trying to backhand it. The ball bounced high in the air and Springer scored from third on the wild pitch.
In the second inning, Melton faced another jam, loading the bases and had to face Guerrero with the bases loaded. Even though Guerrero has struggled through a brutal season, he’s still frightening to see in the box in a pressure moment. But Melton got him to bounce out to short.
Melton had more trouble in the third, as the Blue Jays loaded the bases; Tigers manager A.J. Hinch had seen enough. He decided to pull Melton after 76 pitches, bringing in right-hander Beau Brieske to face All-Star starter Ernie Clement . Brieske got him to bounce out to short to end the threat.
Melton’s final line was tough: 76 pitches in just 2⅔ innings, walking four amid lots of stress.
Brieske was fantastic for the Tigers, going two innings, recording a pair of strikeouts but not allowing any hits or runs or walking anyone.
In many ways, the Tigers were fortunate to only be down 2-0. But left-hander Tyler Holton gave the Tigers a chance, throwing 1⅓ scoreless innings without a hit or walk.
Kyle Finnegan pitched the seventh. That ... didn't go so well: The Blue Jays put guys on first and second with two outs. Then, rookie Kazuma Okamoto crushed a three-run homer to give the Blue Jays a 5-4 lead.
Tyler Kinley handled the eighth.
Then, Kenley Jansen was brought in to close it out, as the Tigers took a 6-5 lead into the ninth. He walked the first batter he faced, while getting the rubber on the mound to his satisfaction, then struck out Guerrero and induced a double play from Kirk.
Next up: More northern exposure
The three-game series continues with another night game as right-hander Drew Anderson (4-6, 3.80) gets the start for the Tigers on Tuesday (7:07 p.m., Detroit SportsNet) against a to-be-announced starter for Toronto. The series wraps up with an afternoon matinee on Wednesday, as right-hander (and new dad) Keider Montero returns from paternity leave to face right-hander (and old, old Tigers pal Max Scherzer (who turned 42 in July).
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers bust Blue Jays after being no-hit for 6 innings
