Game #81 Detroit Tigers (36-47) @ Toronto Blue Jays (38-43) - game recap

Marcus Stroman pitched seven strong innings as the Blue Jays edged the Tigers 3-2

The Blue Jays returned home after a difficult road trip that saw them get three wins out of seven against difficult AL West foes in the LA Angels and Houston Astros. The disparity in talent and where the Blue Jays stand at the moment was evident the past week. Houston has a potent  lineup that can hurt you in pretty much every part of the lineup. Their pitching is one of the best in the league too. LA has perhaps the best hitter in baseball (Mike Trout) and other veteran hitters, such as Albert Pujols and Kole Calhoun. Their organizational depth is being put to the test with 15 players currently on the DL. Toronto began a 9-game home stand tonight facing a Detroit Tigers team in a rebuild mode, much like the Blue Jays are experiencing. The Tigers took two of three at the beginning of the month. Could the Blue Jays even the season series tonight? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game highlights

• The Tigers opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd as JaCoby Jones scored on a double play grounder hit by Dixon Machado 
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 4th as Justin Smoak hit a 2 run HR into the Blue Jays bullpen that also scored Kendrys Morales
• Five batters later, Randal Grichuk singled home Russell Martin
• The Tigers got one back in the top of the 7th on a Jeimer Candelario HR to left
• Francisco Liriano pitching line: 6IP 7H 3R (all earned) 4BB 4K 89 pitches (51 for strikes)
• Marcus Stroman pitching line: 7IP 5H 2R (both earned) 0BB 4K 90 pitches (65 for strikes)

My take 

• Marcus Stroman was solid tonight. He threw 7 innings of 5 hit ball. Stroman had perfect innings in the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th innings . He also faced the minimum in the 2nd inning. He has yet to allow a run since being activated from the DL last Saturday. When he's on his game, Stroman has ace-like stuff. 
• Every Blue Jay but Devon Travis reached base today and all but Travis and Aledmys Diaz had a hit
• The Detroit Tigers have now lost 10 straight games.
• Through 81 games, the Blue Jays are 1 win better than this time last year
• Up next, the Blue Jays look to win their second straight and extend Detroit's losing streak to 11 games as lefty Matthew Boyd takes on Blue Jays righty Sam Gaviglio.