Last Night in Baseball: Blue Jays Dominate Tigers, Stand Alone Atop AL

Last Night in Baseball: Blue Jays Dominate Tigers, Stand Alone Atop AL

There’s always baseball happening — it may even feel like there’s too much for one person to keep up with. That’s where we come in, helping you sift through the previous day’s games and highlighting what you missed but shouldn’t have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

Blue Jays Stand Alone Atop AL

With only five MLB games played last Thursday, this edition of Last Night in Baseball will focus significantly on the first match of the four-game series between the Blue Jays and Tigers. And it’s for good reason: the game was packed with highlights, weighing heavily as a contest between a team tied for the best record in the American League and the club they just surpassed on Wednesday.

The Tigers struck first, with Jahmai Jones hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. That lead held until the sixth inning when it was the Blue Jays’ turn to shine. net fault in volleyball Detroit’s starter, Reese Olson, had been cruising, notching three strikeouts and issuing zero walks over five shutout innings. He didn’t allow a hit until the third inning and surrendered just three harmless singles throughout the first five innings. However, Olson fell apart in the sixth, allowing five runs and failing to escape the frame. The seventh wasn’t much better, with Toronto adding another four runs against reliever Dietrich Enns. The Jays didn’t even need the two runs they scored in the eighth, but they got them anyway.

The Tigers fought back with three runs in the ninth after a shutout inning of relief by their backup catcher, Jake Rogers — the only reliever in the game not to give up a run — but it was nowhere near enough. Toronto won decisively, 11-4, improving their record to 61-42 for the year, while the Tigers fell to 60-44. Detroit has lost four in a row since becoming the first team to reach 60 wins, now sitting at 1-9 over their last 10 games. In contrast, Toronto stands at an impressive 15-4 for July and boasts a record of 46-22 since May 9, securing their largest lead in the AL East this season.

Thanks to a loss by the Astros, Toronto also claimed the top spot in the AL for the best record. It now belongs to them alone, and if they win this series against Detroit, they could potentially extend their lead.

Knuckleball Alert!

When Jake Rogers — once again, the Tigers’ backup catcher — took the mound against the Blue Jays in the ninth inning with the game already out of hand, we were treated to a taste of what made position players pitching so appealing before new rules restricted their use. Rogers, relieved of the obligation to do anything other than save the bullpen an inning of work — sporting an amusing look reminiscent of Todd Jones’ mustachioed persona — threw knuckleballs. 55 casino And they actually worked! Rogers retired his first two batters and then allowed a few singles before ending the threat. cooking show philippines Isn’t there room in baseball for a different kind of two-way player who may not be elite but still useful? A backup catcher who can also contribute to the bullpen by throwing a knuckleball? Think about it, Jake; the fans need the knuckler back, and you can deliver that.

The Best Kind of Home Run

The Blue Jays gave us the superior form of a home run last night. Sure, an inside-the-park home run is special, and watching a grand slam clear the bases in one swing is exhilarating. But nothing beats a home run that feels like a matter of personal pride, especially when it comes after an intentional walk.

In this instance, the Tigers intentionally walked Addison Barger with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on third base and two outs, still facing right-hander Reese Olson. Barger, a lefty, has enjoyed more success against righties in his career — holding a .776 OPS compared to just .559 against southpaws. jeron Ernie Clement, on the other hand, is a lefty masher who has a higher slugging percentage against left-handed pitching (.605) than his OPS against righties (.564). And yet! A three-run homer of vengeance and pride put the Jays up 4-1, signaling the beginning of the end for Detroit’s chances in that game.

Mariners’ Dinger Dominance

The Mariners showcased their power in the long ball department on Thursday. They made a trade for Diamondbacks’ first baseman Josh Naylor, who hit 31 homers in 2024 and already has 11 this season. They scored four runs to defeat the Angels in Los Angeles, all four coming by way of the home run.

First up was Julio Rodriguez, who tied the score at 1-1 with a homer in the top of the fifth inning. Then Randy Arozarena put the M’s ahead for good with a two-run shot later that same inning, scoring Cal Raleigh — even though Raleigh leads the majors in homers, he was not among the Mariners to go yard on Thursday ilocos norte region. Arozarena’s 19th homer of the season made him four shy of his career high, and it was also his ninth of July. Finally, Jorge Polanco added an insurance solo shot in the top of the eighth, finalizing the score at 4-2. Much like the Jays, the Mariners benefitted from the Astros’ loss, moving to five games back in the AL West and gaining half a game in the wild card standings for the second spot, as none of the teams trailing them were active on Thursday.

Miller Hits 103

When Mason Miller registers a strikeout at 103 mph, it’s impossible not to take notice. Look at what the Athletics’ closer did against the Astros on Thursday. Christian Walker’s reaction tells you all you need to know about facing a pitch at that speed, especially when it’s executed up-and-in, just like that delivery was. The average four-seam fastball from Miller offers an MLB-best 101.1 mph, according to Statcast. He’s the only pitcher in the league averaging over 101, while others like Jhoan Duran and Seth Halvorsen barely cross the 100 mark at 100.3 and 100.1 mph respectively. One hundred and three miles per hour — that’s a serious arm.

Don’t Run on Cortes

The A’s also showcased their skills in other areas on Thursday night. Specifically, Carlos Cortes displayed his arm talent. In the bottom of the third inning, the right fielder scooped up a hard line drive from Taylor Trammell after it had ricocheted in the corner, turned, and delivered a laser throw to second base that beat Trammell there. Trammell lay on the ground for a while longer in disbelief — his body language unmistakably communicating the surprise as the ball whizzed past him and a tag was applied during his slide. What a throw!

What were your thoughts on last night’s baseball action?