Clement hits walk-off single, Jays beat Tigers 2-1

Ernie Clement emerged for his post-game session with reporters on Saturday with a massive ice bag on his right throwing shoulder.

TORONTO – Ernie Clement emerged for his post-game session with reporters on Saturday with a massive ice bag on his right throwing shoulder.

If a body part required treatment for the Toronto Blue Jays offensive hero, the best bet would have been his left kneecap.

Clement was felled in the second inning when he fouled a 96 miles per hour fastball from Detroit starter Reese Olson off his kneecap.

Clement stayed down for a lengthy period before staying in the game. Seven innings later he delivered his second career walk-off hit, a single up the middle to score Daulton Varsho in the ninth inning of Toronto’s 2-1 win against the Detroit Tigers.

“Yeah, I’m going to sit in the tub for a little bit,” Clement said.

Clement made only his second career start at first base to give Vladimir Guerrero a day as the Blue Jays designated hitter. So Clement employed the toughness mentality he gained as a hockey player at Brighton High School in Rochester, N.Y., to stay in the game.

“You got to grind through it,” Clement said. “Vlad needed to get off his feet a little bit. So I’m staying in the ball game. They’d have to rip me off the field there, take a little hockey player’s mentality and just fight through it. You know, fight for your boys.”

Clement also led off the eighth inning with a walk and then scored the tying run on Alejandro Kirk’s pinch-hit single down the right-field line.