Like many of our friends throughout the SB Nation network, we are simulating the 2020 MLB season with MLB The Show 20. While we are unable to stream the games as they would otherwise be happening, we will try to get ahead of the curve and post about the games on the same day they would have taken place. Or, you know, at least get them back on schedule. Now, onto the recap!
The simulated Detroit Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead, let the Toronto Blue Jays crawl all the way back, then added three late runs to claim an 8-5 victory on Saturday at Comerica Park. Niko Goodrum and Austin Romine hit home runs in the seventh to provide the winning margin, as the Tigers withstood four Blue Jays homers.
At first, this looked like it would be an easy win for the Tigers. They jumped on Blue Jays starter Ryan Borucki early, scoring three runs in the first inning. Miguel Cabrera kicked off the rally with a two-out double, and consecutive doubles from C.J. Cron and Jonathan Schoop gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Goodrum added a single through the left side for Detroit’s third run of the frame before Clint Frazier grounded out to end the inning.
The Tigers weren’t done there. After more hard contact, but no runs against Borucki in the second, they broke through again in the third. Cron led off the inning with a single to the wall, and Schoop moved him up to third base with his second double of the game. Goodrum plated Cron with a sacrifice fly, and Schoop came around to score on a one-out single from Clint Frazier, stretching Detroit’s lead to 5-0. Austin Romine added another single to put two runners aboard, but a long fly ball from Jeimer Candelario was swallowed up by Comerica Park’s vast outfield for the final out of the inning.
Things came crashing down quickly, however. Spencer Turnbull, who had allowed just one baserunner through the first four innings, didn’t record an out in the fifth. Teoscar Hernandez led off the frame with an opposite field home run, putting the Blue Jays on the board. Rowdy Tellez followed with a triple to the deepest part of the park, then Travis Shaw sent a ball over the left field wall for Toronto’s second opposite field blast of the inning, ending Turnbull’s day. Shao-Ching Chiang did not fare much better out of the bullpen, giving up a one-out homer to Cavan Biggio to bring the Blue Jays within a single run. Bo Bichette capped off Toronto’s scoring with a solo homer off Chiang in the top of the sixth to tie the game.
Fortunately, the Tigers were able to recover. Chiang calmly retired the next two hitters, and lefthander Gregory Soto came on to retire Tellez to end the sixth. Soto then worked a scoreless seventh before turning things over to the back of the bullpen. Meanwhile, the Tigers were able to take the lead in the bottom of the seventh on home runs from Goodrum and Romine, the latter a two-run shot that gave Detroit some much-needed breathing room before Buck Farmer and Joe Jimenez locked things down in the final two frames.
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