Vierling’s 2nd homer, 3-run drive in 9th, lifts Tigers over Blue Jays 14-11 after wasting 5-run lead

By Dana Gauruder, The Associated Press on May 26, 2024.

DETROIT (AP) – Matt Vierling homered twice, including a tiebreaking, three-run drive off Jordan Romano in the ninth inning that gave Detroit a wild 14-11 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday after the Tigers wasted a five-run lead and recovered from a two-run deficit.

Vierling had four hits and tied career highs with two homers and four RBIs.

Carson Kelly hit a three-run homer and Spencer Torkelson hit a solo shot for Detroit, which led 5-0 after three innings, 8-3 after five and 9-5 after six. The Tigers set a season high for runs and tied their high with 17 hits.

Toronto’s Isiah Kiner-Falefa homered in the seventh off Tyler Holton, and the Blue Jays took an 11-9 lead with a five-run eighth when Bo Bichette hit a two-run single off Jason Foley and Daulton Varsho hit a three-run homer.

Mark Canha tied the score with a two-run single against Yimi García in the bottom half, his third hit.

Vierling, who hit a solo homer in the fifth off Zach Pop, drove a full-count slider from Romano (1-2) over the left-field wall for his first big league walk-off hit. A two-time All-Star, Romano has allowed three homers this year, half his total last season.

Mason Englert (1-0) pitched a hitless ninth for the Tigers (26-27), who won the last three games of a four-game series against the last-place Blue Jays (23-29).

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had his second four-hit game of the season for the Blue Jays.

Detroit starter Casey Mize gave up three runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi allowed five runs and eight hits in three innings. Mize and Kikuchi are 0-3 each in their six starts.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Chris Bassitt (4-6, 4.39 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox on Monday.

Tigers: LHP Tarik Skubal (6-1, 2.25 ERA) will start the opener of a two-game home series against Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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