Toronto Blue Jays enter the break hot with win over Tigers

The Toronto Blue Jays enter the MLB All-Star break on a high note, riding a strong start and timely at-bats to a 6-1 win over the Detroit Tigers in Sunday’s series finale.

R.A. Dickey worked very efficiently through his early innings, needing just 39 pitches to cruise through the first four scoreless frames. He lasted seven strong, allowing five hits and one earned run with five strikeouts.

Josh Thole was the unlikely source of the Blue Jays’ first runs, driving in Kevin Pillar and Troy Tulowitzki who reached with back-to-back singles in the bottom of the second.

With Thole on base again in the fourth following a walk and Ezequiel Carrera following a single, Josh Donaldson went yard for his 23rd home run of the season to give him 63 RBI.

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The home run made Donaldson just the 6th player to record 80 runs with 20 home runs before the All-Star break. He joins some good company in Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Reggie Jackson, Frank Thomas, and Alex Rodriguez.

Pillar was bumped up to the fifth spot in the order with the absence of designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who dropped his appeal prior to the game to serve a one-game suspension for contacting an umpire. He delivered, going 3-for-4.

Jesse Chavez took over for Dickey in the eighth and handled the only two batters he was asked to face. Brett Cecil entered to face Victor Martinez, who he forced to pop out high in the infield.

After a Michael Saunders single to the opposite field put the Blue Jays ahead 6-1 entering the ninth inning, closer Roberto Osuna was no longer needed which allowed Toronto to turn to Bo Schultz. The right-hander allowed a pair of base-runners but neither scored.

The Blue Jays now enter the All-Star break with Donaldson, Encarnacion, Saunders, Marco Estrada, and Aaron Sanchez heading to San Diego. Out of the break, the Blue Jays travel to Oakland for a three-game series against the Athletics then enjoy an off day on both sides of a two-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks.