Jake Rogers hits third career grand slam as Tigers beat Blue Jays 7-3 for 10th win in 12 games

TORONTO — Jake Rogers hit his third career grand slam during a six-run sixth inning, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-3 on Saturday for their 10th win in 12 games.

Andy Ibáñez had two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers. Rogers hit his seventh home run off Trevor Richards, who entered after the Tigers knocked Yusei Kikuchi (4-9) out of the game during their big inning.

Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 3 for 4 with a two-run homer, his 16th, but the slumping Blue Jays lost for the fourth time in five and matched a season worst by falling 10 games below .500.

Guerrero homered for the third straight game for the second time this season. He also did it June 27-29.

Tigers right-hander Reese Olson left after two innings because of a sore right shoulder. He threw 30 pitches, 16 strikes.

Olson used double-play grounders to strand runners in each of his two scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, both singles, and walked one.

Right-hander Alex Faedo (5-1) replaced Olson in the third and pitched two innings.

Righty Kenta Maeda allowed three runs in two innings. Left-hander Tyler Horton pitched the seventh and eighth, and right-hander Shelby Miller finished.

Detroit clinched the season series against Toronto for the first time since 2018 with a 5-4 win Friday. The Tigers have won five of six meetings with the Blue Jays in 2024.

Kikuchi (4-9) allowed four runs and five hits in five-plus innings, extending his streak of winless outings to seven. Kikuchi has not won since June 11 at Milwaukee.

Detroit’s Javier Báez returned to the lineup after leaving last Saturday’s win over the Dodgers and sitting out the final game before the All-Star break.

Báez finished 1 for 4 with two strikeouts. He singled and scored in the sixth.

Ibáñez doubled home the game’s first run with two outs in the fifth.

Kikuchi left after the first three batters reached in the sixth. Richards came on and gave up a 391-foot home run to Rogers.

Ibáñez added an RBI single off Richards and later scored on a wild pitch by left-hander Brendon Little.

The Blue Jays put SS Bo Bichette on the 10-day IL because of a strained right calf and recalled Addison Barger from Triple-A Buffalo. Bichette left Friday’s game after six innings. He pulled up running from home plate to first base.

RHP Kevin Gausman (7-8, 4.50 ERA) is scheduled to start as the Blue Jays seek to avoid a sweep in Sunday’s series finale. RHP Keider Montero (1-2, 5.47) goes for the Tigers.

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

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