Detroit Tigers Beat The Rain But Lose To Blue Jays 8-6

Blue Jays 8, Tigers 6 (box score)

April 10, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; The tarp remains on the field during a rain delay before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The start of this game was delayed for approximately two and a half hours due to a storm system moving through the Detroit Metro area, but they eventually got it in, and, for most of the afternoon, that appeared to be a good thing for the Tigers.

Detroit jumped out to an early lead with single runs in the first and second inning and, after Toronto pushed across one in the top of the fifth, added four more in the bottom of the fifth. The 6-1 lead seemed comfortable enough, but the wheels were about to fall off.

Rick Porcello — who had cruised through five innings — allowed two singles and a double (one run scored) to start the sixth inning and was pulled from the game and replaced by Darin Downs. Downs gave up a double to the first batter he faced which allowed both of Porcello’s runners to score. Downs got the team out of the inning without further damage, but Toronto had pulled to within two (6-4) and received a shot of life.

Downs came back out for to start the seventh and induced a Jose Reyes lineout, but he was replaced by Brayan Villarreal after a Melky Cabrera single. Villarreal entered and promptly walked Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and Mark DeRosa, a sequence that forced in a run. Villarreal extited the game — without retiring a single hitter — in favor of Ocatvio Dotel with the bases loaded and the Tigers clinging to a one-run lead. The lead wouldn’t last, though, as J.P. Arencibia pounded a bases-clearing double to left-center.

Ballgame.

Toronto took the 8-6 lead — seven unanswered runs — and kept the Tigers off the board the rest of the way.

Bullets

• Rick Porcello has never had success in his career the third and fourth times through a batting order. He was basically starting the third time through today in the sixth when Toronto jumped on him.
• Brayan Villarreal couldn’t throw a strike — he hasn’t looked at all good this season. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him spend some time in Toledo to get his head straight. That could mean either Luke Putkonen or possibly Bruce Rondon.
• The offense was fine in this one. 11 hits and six runs will get the job done almost every time. There were a couple of opportunities for some timelier hits that could have meant salvaging a victory, but the overall production was solid.