Blue Jays 10, Tigers 5: Promising start turns sour for Justin Verlander

DETROIT -- After getting silenced by Detroit Tigers starters for two games, the vaunted Toronto Blue Jays offense broke through on Sunday. They scored six runs off Justin Verlander in the top of the fifth inning and coasted to a 10-5 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park.

Verlander was Vintage after two hits and an error in the first. That was, until the fifth inning when he collapsed. The Blue Jays bat around Verlander, putting up a six-spot that included two home runs -- both no-doubters. Verlander needed help defensively, and never got it, Jose Iglesias having a rare off-day all around in that department. He had made a sparkling defensive play earlier in the game but that was it and his messy day far outweighed the good flash.

Verlander's day ended after five innings pitched, seven runs on seven hits, five strikeouts and two walks on 94 pitches. The bullpen followed suit and gave up three more runs, Drew VerHagen walking the bases full in the seventh to give the Blue Jays added insurance.

Meanwhile, the Tigers offense was asleep until the fifth. Unlike the Blue Jays, the Tigers had just three hits through four innings. They got back two on a two-run triple by Ian Kinsler, though, which started on a James McCann walk and a nine-pitch single by Iglesias.

Detroit would pick up another run in the sixth when J.D. Martinez homered to start the inning, putting the Tigers within four of Toronto. However, most of the Tigers' hits were quiet, though Anthony Gose homered (!) in the eighth to cut the deficit in half. But when the opposing team has 10 runs, trying to come back from that is a difficult thing to do.

ROARS:

Ian Kinsler: Drilled a two-run triple to the right-center field gap in the fifth inning, cutting into the Tigers' deficit at the time.

J.D. Martinez: Smoked a leadoff homer in the sixth inning. He also drew a walk.

Anthony Gose: Nailed a leadoff opposite field home run in the seventh.

James McCann: Finished 2-for-3 with a walk, including an RBI.

HISSES:

Justin Verlander: Was sharp through four innings, the lone run scoring against the Tigers on back-to-back hits to start the game. After that he retired 12-of-13, allowing just a walk. And that's when the wheels came off. Verlander gave up six runs in the fifth, including two home runs, which sank the Tigers' hopes of winning the game.

Jose Iglesias: He made one dazzling play. But he made at least two very bad ones, one that turned a bloop single into a double in the first. He also threw an easy inning-ending out away and into the visiting dugout.

Drew VerHagen: Walked the bases loaded in the seventh and failed to record an out. He had a scoreless sixth but also allowed a single and walked a batter. His outing was not sharp by any means.

STREAKS AND STATS:

• Yoenis Cespedes' double in the third inning was his 25th of the season, which is tied with Twins' Brian Dozier for second-most in Major League Baseball. Only Indians' Jason Kipnis has more, with 26.
• Justin Verlander reached 2,000 innings pitched with the first out in the fifth inning, becoming the 11th Tigers pitcher to reach 2,000 or more innings pitched.
• The seven runs allowed by Verlander marked a season high, which, given it's just his fourth start isn't particularly bright.
• J.D. Martinez's home run in the sixth inning marked his 23rd of the season, second-most in the American League. His six home runs in the sixth this year are the most hit in any inning.
• Anthony Gose's seventh inning homer was just his second of the year.

WIN PROBABILITY GRAPH:

Source: FanGraphs