Rogers’ grand slam gives Tigers 7-3 win over Jays
Global News
In what may have been his final appearance as a Toronto Blue Jay, nothing went right for lefty Yusei Kikuchi in the sixth inning on Saturday.
TORONTO – In what may have been his final appearance as a Toronto Blue Jay, nothing went right for lefty Yusei Kikuchi in the sixth inning on Saturday.
Kikuchi cruised through five innings, striking out six and only allowed an unearned run. But then he couldn’t get anybody and the Detroit Tigers took advantage to push to a 7-3 win before 38,585 at Rogers Centre.
Kikuchi gave up a Matt Vierling single, walked Mark Canha and then hit Wenceel Perez to load the bases with nobody out.
Kikuchi gave way to reliever Trevor Richards who was greeted with a 391-foot grand slam homer into the left-field seats from catcher Jake Rogers.
“I lost my momentum,” the 33-year-old Kikuchi said. “I didn’t want to give up that second run and I felt the pressure to throw strikes.”
Kikuchi (4-9) is in the final season of the three-year contract he signed to come to Toronto. He’s a player the Blue Jays (44-54) likely will move before the trade deadline on July 30.
“It’s in the back of my mind,” the Japanese starter said. “But it’s out of your control. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I love our team, the city and all the fans here.”
Rogers’ third career grand slam highlighted a six-run inning for Detroit (49-50), winners of 10 of its last 12 outings.
