(Detroit) New to the All-Star Game, Jordan Romano topped the Majors with his 26th save on Sunday, sealing a 4-3 win for the Toronto Blue Jays in Detroit over the Tigers.
The game needed 10 innings.
Earlier in the day, we learned that the 30-year-old Ontarian had his place in the All-Star Game as a replacement for Framber Valdez of the Houston Astros.
At Comerica Park, Romano closed the books by retiring Riley Greene on a ground ball to the mound, Spencer Torkelson on a run-up (a umpire call to first base), and then Matt Vierling on a ground ball to second base.
Romano, Camilo Doval (Giants) and Alexis Diaz (Reds) lead Major League Baseball with 26 saves this season.
The visitors were down 3-0 after six sets.
In the seventh, Matt Chapman hit a triple and closed the gap on an Alejandro Kirk option.
In the ninth, Danny Jansen tied the game with his 11th home run, a two-run slap hit after a walk to Chapman.
“You never think about trying to hit a home run, but after Chappy got a walk, I wanted to have that good at-bat,” Jansen said. It was a fantastic feeling to see the ball go over the fence. We were so close to suffering a second loss in a row, but instead we ended the first half of the season with a very good victory. »
Jansen’s homer, his 11th of the season, came at the expense of stopper Alex Lange, who finished the Tigers’ run-less and hitless game with a perfect ninth inning on Saturday.
“He got beat by a fastball and that’s a tough way to lose,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. Alex was electrifying last night and he felt the same way today before the walk and the home run. »
On the Jays’ next turn at bat, Nathan Lukes scored a double upfield against José Cisnero (2-2) to score the deciding run. He sent the ball down the left field line, allowing Daulton Varsho to cross the plate.
Lukes had a fourth major league hit and a second RBI.
“We can’t say enough about what he’s accomplished in that moment,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of Lukes. He hasn’t played much lately and he hits that hit against a really good reliever. »
Toronto enters the all-star break having won five times in six games.
Greene homered for the Tigers. The club is 3-16 against American East Division clubs this season.
Yimi Garcia (3-3) pitched in the ninth inning.
