Kevin Gausman struck out a season-best 10 in six innings, Daulton Varsho hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh, and the Toronto Blue Jays pulled away for a 9-1 victory over the skidding Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.
“I didn’t think I had the stuff to strike out 10 guys tonight, but I was able to command my pitches,” Gausman said. “We were 0-1 on just about every hitter, and when you do that, you become the aggressor.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Isiah Kiner-Falefa also went deep as the Blue Jays (23-26) won for the fourth time in five games. Bo Bichette had three hits.
“Our at-bats have been getting better,” manager John Schneider said. “I think the approach is shifting and we’re doing a better job of grinding through to the third time through.” Detroit (23-27) has lost five straight.
“This team is working hard,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “Effort is a lot different than a win-loss record.” Gausman (3-3) allowed one run and three hits as the teams played without replay review available for much of the game due to a power failure that disrupted both club broadcasts.
There were no calls that appeared likely to trigger a manager’s challenge before the replay system was restored in the seventh. “Technology’s great until you don’t have it,” Schneider said. “It was a bit of an old-school game for about seven innings.”
Jack Flaherty (1-4) gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out nine.
Kiner-Falefa gave the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead with his homer in the third. Toronto put runners on the corners with one out in the fourth, but Bichette was picked off first by Flaherty.
Kiner-Falefa tripled with two outs in the fifth, but Flaherty struck out Kevin Kiermaier to end the inning. The Tigers didn’t get a hit until Javier Báez led off the sixth with a single. Carson Kelly followed with another base hit, but Gausman retired the next two batters.
With two outs, Wenceel Pérez hit a tying single to right-center, but Kiermaier threw out Kelly at the plate to keep it 1-all.
