Advertisement

R.A. Dickey pitches Toronto Blue Jays to win over Detroit Tigers

By Larry Millson, The Sports Xchange
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher R.A. Dickey. UPI/John Angelillo
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher R.A. Dickey. UPI/John Angelillo | License Photo

TORONTO -- R.A. Dickey and the Toronto Blue Jays are working in tandem.

The right-handed knuckleballer and the team he pitches for keep winning.

Advertisement

Dickey won his sixth straight decision over the past nine starts Friday and had the support of three solo home runs in a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

"Go back the last two months he has been really good," manager John Gibbons said. "It was a good lineup he was facing tonight, there are some guys who have hit him in the past."

Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, third baseman Josh Donaldson and right fielder Jose Bautista homered for the Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series.

Advertisement

Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion extended his hitting streak to 23 games with an RBI double in the first. It is the longest hit streak in the majors this season.

The Blue Jays (72-56) have a 1 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees in the American League East. The Yankees defeated the Braves 15-4 Friday.

Dickey (9-10) has not lost since July 9, which was his final start before the All-Star break and the Blue Jays are 27-10 since the break.

Dickey allowed six hits, one walk and three runs while striking out six in 6 2/3 innings.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler hit a solo homer in the first for the Tigers (60-68). Center fielder Anthony Gose, formerly with the Blue Jays, hit a two-run homer in the seventh to chase Dickey.

Gose's fourth homer of the season followed a two-out walk to shortstop Jose Iglesias.

"I was able to really stick with what I'm good at and that's throwing hard knuckleballs for strikes, really challenging hitters and trying to work ahead," Dickey said. "They were really aggressive. Kinsler hits a first-pitch home run and Cabrera follows with a first-pitch single (in the first inning). There were a lot of first-pitch swings tonight. ... You try to take advantage of that by changing speeds and getting some quick outs. I had a really good hard one (knuckler), swing and miss hard one and I was able to repeat my delivery. It had good late movement in the strike zone. The only regret I have is the two-out walk to Iglesias."

Advertisement

Left-hander Matt Boyd (1-5), who was traded to the Tigers as part of the deal that sent left-hander David Price to the Blue Jays, allowed three home runs among seven hits and gave up five runs in six innings. He walked three and struck out four.

"I like what we've seen from Boyd since we've gotten him," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "I think he's got a chance to be a good major-league pitcher. "He doesn't seem to get rattled. He seems to be mature, which you see a lot with college pitchers. His off-speed pitches were his best pitches tonight, especially the changeup."

"I just didn't make the big pitches when I needed to," Boyd said. "I got beat on fastballs in today. No one beat me on a fastball away. That's just me. I've got to get ahead in counts and I've got to command my fastball better."

Right-hander Mark Lowe finished the seventh for the Blue Jays and right-hander Aaron Sanchez pitched a 1-2-3 eighth.

Right-hander Roberto Osuna struck out the side in the ninth to earn his 16th save.

Advertisement

Kinsler gave the Tigers the lead with his ninth homer of the season on the first pitch he saw from Dickey.

The Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom of the first when Bautista walked and Encarnacion doubled to center.

The Blue Jays hit back-to-back homers for the eighth time this season in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Tulowitzki hit his fourth homer for the Blue Jays -- his 16th overall this season -- and Donaldson followed with his 35th of the season, off the facing of the fifth deck.

The Blue Jays loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth on a single by center fielder Kevin Pillar, a walk by left fielder Ben Revere and a single by second baseman Ryan Goins. They scored a run when catcher Josh Thole grounded into a double play.

Bautista hit his 31st homer of the season with one out in the fifth to bump the lead to 5-1.

NOTES: The Blue Jays, coming off a 6-2 trip, opened a nine-game homestand Friday, with the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles following the Tigers to Rogers Centre. ... The Tigers opened a six-game trip Friday, with a visit to Kansas City following the series in Toronto. ... Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler was 0-for-4 Thursday to end an eight-game hitting streak. ... Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (knee surgery) threw 51 pitches in a simulated game at Dunedin, Fla., Friday and will pitch for Class A Lansing on Wednesday. ... RHP Drew Hutchison (12-2, 5.06 ERA) will return to the Blue Jays' rotation Saturday to start against Tigers RHP Buck Farmer (0-2, 7.80) in the second game of the three-game series. Hutchison missed the Blue Jays' eight-game road trip when he was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, where he made one start and was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA. C Josh Thole was optioned to Rookie Bluefield after the game Friday and Hutchison will be recalled for the start Saturday.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines