Stuck in an 11-game losing streak Darnell Savage Jr. Jersey , the Detroit Tigers cleared the air with a pregame meeting. Then Nick Castellanos went out and cleared the bases with an important home run that helped stop Detroit’s slide.
Jordan Zimmermann pitched seven strong innings and the Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-1 on Sunday.

Manager Ron Gardenhire scheduled the pregame meeting, a relaxed session in which players were invited to say whatever was on their mind. Castellanos called it an opportunity to ”just kind of address the elephant in the room.”

”It gave anybody a chance that wanted to speak up to speak up,” said Castellanos, adding that Victor Martinez, James McCann and Gardenhire were among those who talked.

JaCoby Jones hit a two-run homer as the Tigers won for the first time since June 17, when they completed a three-game road sweep of the Chicago White Sox.

Castellanos nearly hit another home run in the ninth but Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar made a leaping catch at the wall.

”I felt like I was going to have a chance to make a play,” Pillar said. ”A ball like that hit as high as it is it allows me time to kind of track the ball and track the fence and go up to try to make a play. ”

Castellanos stopped on the basepaths to applaud Pillar’s catch before turning and heading back to the dugout.

”What else can you say the end of the day besides `What a play,”’ Castellanos said. ”It sucks it had to happen to me but plays like that have to happen to somebody.”

Niko Goodrum had a career-high four hits and Jose Iglesias had two hits and two RBIs for Detroit, which had lost 12 of 14 at Rogers Centre.

”That was a fun win, a really fun with with a lot of great swings,” Gardenire said.

Zimmermann (3-0) allowed one run and five hits in his third start since returning from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss more than a month.

”He had a great curveball today http://www.packerscheapstore.com/elgton-jenkins-jersey-cheap ,” Gardenhire said. ”That’s probably the best curveball I’ve seen all year out of him.”

Wearing red jerseys and caps for Canada Day, the Blue Jays couldn’t deliver a win for the holiday crowd of 37,445.

Tigers outfielder Leonys Martin left with a sore left hamstring after his bases-loaded bunt single in the fifth brought home Detroit’s first run. Martin was replaced by Victor Reyes.

Following the game, Gardenhire said Martin would be placed on the 10-day disabled list. A corresponding roster move will be made before Monday afternoon’s series finale.

Castellanos followed with his 13th home run, a shot that bounced off the top of the wall in right. It was his first grand slam since Sept. 8, 2017, also against Toronto.

Castellanos also made a fine catch in right, reaching back to grab Russell Martin’s line drive for the final out of the fourth.

Iglesias chased Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ (10-4) with a two-out, two-run single in the sixth.

Happ matched season-worsts by allowing seven runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

”It’s not a pretty outing and I own that,” Happ said.

Happ had won six consecutive decisions since his previous defeat, May 10 against Seattle.

Teoscar Hernandez tripled in the first and scored on a two-out double by Justin Smoak, but Zimmermann recovered to retire the next nine Blue Jays batters.

For the second straight game Jace Sternberger Jersey , the roof was closed at Rogers Centre because of high heat and humidity.

MUSIC MAN

Blue Jays RHP John Axford complied a list of more than 500 songs by Canadian artists and has been playing his mix in the clubhouse all weekend. Axford’s `Oh Canada!’ playlist can be streamed using the online music service Spotify.

NOT YOUR DAY

The Blue Jays are 14-26 on Canada Day, including a 12-17 mark at home.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Alex Wilson, who left in the eighth inning Saturday because of a sore left calf, was not available. … RHP Drew VerHagen (nasal fracture) pitched one scoreless inning for Triple-A Toledo Saturday night, his first rehab appearance. VerHagen has been out since June 20.

Blue Jays: Toronto optioned utilityman Darnell Sweeney to Triple-A Buffalo after the game and will make a corresponding roster move Monday.

UP NEXT

Tigers RHP Mike Fiers (5-4, 4.04) faces Blue Jays LHP Ryan Borucki (0-1, 3.00) in Monday afternoon’s series finale. Fiers is 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA in two career starts at Rogers Centre. Borucki made his major league debut at Houston last Tuesday, allowing two runs in six innings.

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Stephen Piscotty was perfectly fine with Andy Green’s decision to walk Matt Olson to load the bases ahead of him with no outs in the eighth inning.

He liked Green’s move even more after hitting a go-ahead double to keep the plucky Athletics rolling along.

Piscotty doubled three times and had three RBIs, helping Oakland beat San Diego 4-2 on Wednesday.

”We know we have a really good offense and if we keep that game close anything can happen in any inning,” Piscotty said. ”We’ve been doing it all year. It’s a great testament to this team, how well we battle late.”

Khris Davis added an RBI single for the A’s, who have won 14 of 17 to move a season-high nine games over .500.

”We have a young group that’s played together that expects to win http://www.packerscheapstore.com/dexter-williams-jersey-cheap ,” manager Bob Melvin said. ”There’s a lot more to go before we consider it special, but here recently we’ve been playing really well.”

Piscotty doubled in Olson in the second, and then had another two-base hit in the sixth. He snapped a 2-all tie in the eighth with a two-run double off Craig Stammen.

Green opted to pitch to Piscotty in the eighth. Jed Lowrie drew a leadoff walk off Jose Castillo (1-2) and Davis doubled before Olson was walked.

Chapman said the intentional walk was the smart play, even though it backfired on the Padres.

”Olson’s a power guy and he’s a left-hander and there’s a base open and it’s a tie ballgame. It made a lot of sense,” Piscotty said. ”I was ready as soon as guys were on second and third.”

Lou Trivino (7-1) retired two batters for the win. Blake Treinen pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.

Christian Villanueva hit his 17th home run for San Diego. The Padres lost all four games against the A’s this season.

”We’re not getting hits with runners in scoring position,” said Green, who is in his third year managing the Padres. ”Sometimes the best thing you can do is relax, go play baseball and enjoy what you’re doing and then the hits start coming.”

OH SO SMOOTH

Oakland third baseman Matt Chapman was hitless in three at-bats, but helped with a pair of sparkling defensive plays. The A’s rookie made a diving stop on A.J. Ellis‘ grounder in the fourth, and then made a spinning backhand grab of Hunter Renfroe’s sharp grounder down the third-base line to begin a 5-4-3 double play in the sixth.

”You look at the box score and it shows oh-for, but for us he drove in like three runs,” Melvin said. ”There’s two plays there that are going to lead to some runs probably for sure.”

STRONG STARTS Josh Allen Jersey , NO DECISIONS

Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision.

San Diego’s Luis Perdomo, who was called up from the minors before the game, allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings in his first start since April 15.

Oakland’s Sean Manaea gave up two runs in seven innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: Closer Brad Hand rejoined the team after missing Tuesday’s game for personal reasons.

Athletics: A day after getting spiked on the side of his leg while covering first base, Chris Bassitt was still noticeably sore, but isn’t expected to miss his turn in the rotation. … RHP Daniel Mengden (sprained right foot) will make a rehab start with Triple-A Nashville on Friday.

UP NEXT

Padres: LHP Eric Lauer (3-5, 5.08 ERA) faces the Diamondbacks for the first time in his career Thursday in the opener of a four-game series in Arizona. Lauer had a 2.76 ERA in six June starts.

Athletics: RHP Paul Blackburn (2-2, 6.46) pitches Friday in Cleveland, seeking a second consecutive win over the Indians.

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