Game #58 Toronto Blue Jays (25-33) @ Detroit Tigers (28-30) - game recap

Tigers catcher John Hicks drove in a pair of runs in the 8th inning as the Tigers handed the Blue Jays their 5th straight loss with a 7-4 victory.

After a difficult game Friday that saw the Blue Jays lose after allowing a big inning of 4 runs on 6 hits, the Blue Jays were looking to snap a 4 game losing streak and even their record in June and the series. Here is today's game recap.

Game highlights:

• The Tigers took the lead on a leadoff HR by Jeimer Candelario in the bottom of the 1st.
• The Blue Jays tied it in the top of the 3rd as Yangervis Solarte doubled home Luke Maile
• The next batter, Justin Smoak singled to score Solarte
• The Tigers tied it in the bottom half of the inning as Nicholas Castellanos doubled scoring Dixon Machado
• The Blue Jays took the lead on a solo HR by Luke Maile
• Two batters later, Solarte hit one out to left
• The Tigers got one back in the bottom of the inning as Machado doubled to score Jose Iglesias 
• Two batters later, the game was tied again as Castellanos singled home Machado
• JA Happ pitching line: 5IP 5H 4R (all earned) 2BB 8K
• Matthew Boyd pitching line: 7IP 6H 4R (all earned)
• The Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the 8th as John Hicks singled home Victor Reyes and Ronny Rodriguez
• The next batter, JaCoby Jones hit a sac fly that plated Niko G1odrum
• Final Score Tigers 7 Blue Jays 4

My Take

• The Blue Jays lost another player, this time Teoscar Hernandez to injury. He fouled a ball off his right foot in the top of the 3rd and finished the at-bat but was removed in the bottom of the inning. X-rays were negative but expect him to be unavailable tomorrow with the off-day. The Blue Jays don't have a lot of options in the minors for the outfield with news today that Dalton Pompey is out 4-6 weeks. Dwight Smith Jr. will likely be recalled if Hernandez can't go tomorrow.
• JA Happ had a rough start today and was only able to get through 5 innings. He did not have his inside fastball working. Despite the rough start, he is still my choice to represent the Blue Jays at the all-star game next month
• The bullpen had mixed results today. John Axford was excellent, retiring all 6 batters he faced. Seunghwan Oh had a tough outing, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits and an intentional walk. He has been one of the Blue Jays most consistent relievers, but like Happ, he did not have it today.
• Luke Maile and Yangervis Solarte were the best Blue Jays offensively today, each getting a HR and double.
• The Blue Jays are an incredibly fragile team right now and if they don't turn things around soon, it is going to cost manager John Gibbons his job.
• Up next, the Blue Jays look to avoid being swept for the second straight series and get their first win in June and snap the current 5 game losing streak as Aaron Sanchez takes the mound against Tigers righty Michael Fulmer.