Power Outage for Comerica Park but not for Jays Bats, 9-1 win

Today’s game was conducted partly in secret, a power outage in the broadcast area having knocked out both the Jays and Tigers broadcasts. We got the silent scoreboard feed beginning in the bottom of the second inning and Dan Shulman on a cell phone and five or six seconds ahead of the video to start the third. It wasn’t until the seventh that we got a full broadcast.

There was a heck of a pitchers’ duel early, but the Jays’ bats came back with the stadium power and they below it open late. More three homer games, please.

Kevin Gausman was dealing early, striking out nine of the 16 Tigers he faced through five. There was a bit of trouble in the second, as he issued a pair of walks and balked, but a K and a double play got him through without runs scored.

Javier Baez broke up the no-hitter with a single in the sixth, and Carson Kelly followed with one of his own. A ground out moved the runners to second and third, and a Wenceel Perez line single brought Baez home. It was almost enough to put Detroit ahead 2-1, but Kevin Kiermaier made a phenomenal throw to gun Kelly down at the plate.

In the end, Gausman went 6, K’ing 10 while allowing one run on a pair of hits and a pair of walks. It was a very strong performance even if he struggled a little bit late.

Zach Pop handled the seventh in six pitches, with a couple of grounders he fielded himself. Trevor Richards then needed a dozen in a clean eighth.

Tim Mayza gave up a couple of soft singles in the ninth but was able to wrap it up without conceding the Tigers a second run of the night.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa opened the scoring in the third with a solo home run.

It looked like they had a chance to add on in the fourth, as Danny Jansen singled and advanced to third on a Bo Bichette single, but Bo slipped diving back to first on a pickoff and Daniel Vogelback grounded out before Jansen could make it home.

Kiner-Falefa stayed hot in the fifth with his second triple of the year, but again the rest of the lineup couldn’t get anything done.

The sixth was more of the same. Davis Schneider walked but never advanced past first.

Vogelbach opened the seventh with a single off the wall in right-centre that travelled well over 400 feet before he could lumber 90. John Schneider lifted him for pinch runner Cavan Biggio, hoping he could score on something less than a homer. As it turned out he had no reason to worry, as Daulton Varsho lofted one into the right field bleachers to put Toronto back out front 3-1. That marked the end of Flaherty’s night. He was replaced by Alex Faedo, who retired the next two batters to end the inning.

Jansen singled and Vlad doubles off Faedo with one out in the eighth. A Bichette line single plated Jansen, and a Justin Turner (hitting for Biggio) single brought Vlad home and sent Bo to third. A Springer sac fly scored Bo. That all extended the lead to 6-1.

The Jays tacked on three insurance runs off Mason Englert in the ninth, on the strength of a Kiermaier triple, a Jansen double, and a Guerrero homer.

Jays of the Day: Kiner-Falefa (.143), about whom I’ve never made any snippy comments, Gausman (0.195), Varsho (0.254)

Suckage: Comerica Park’s electrician (-$12 for Shulman’s US roaming charges)

Tomorrow’s game goes at 6:40pm ET. Alek Manoah (1-1, 3.00) will take on Matt Manning (0-1, 4.88).