Slow Start for Both Teams
Oh, the anticipation that surrounded the game as our Toronto Blue Jays took on the Detroit Tigers! The first three innings were a pitching duel with both teams fighting to put something on the scoreboard. George Springer, Spencer Horwitz, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. couldn't get the bats going in the 1st inning. The Tigers didn't fare much better. The top of the 1st saw three quick outs, including a strikeout for the rookie Wenceel Pérez. Definitely a quiet start!
Tigers Strike First
The Tigers broke the deadlock in the 4th inning with a bang
. Matt Vierling doubled to left and was soon driven in by Riley Greene's single. Moments later, Mark Canha launched a two-run homer to left center, making it a 3-0 game. Our boys tried to answer but struggled and were quickly retired. By the middle of the 4th, we were staring at a 3-0 deficit. 
Guerrero Jr. Brings Us Back
In what seemed like a blink of an eye, we were down 3-0 heading into the bottom of the 6th. Finally, some Blue Jays magic!
Horwitz drew a walk and was brought home by a monstrous 445-foot home run by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.! Suddenly, it was a 3-2 game and the excitement was back at the Rogers Centre!Tigers Extend Their Lead
Alas, the Tigers weren’t done yet. In the top of the 7th, Wenceel Pérez hit a crucial two-run homer to right center, bringing the score to 5-2. It added more pressure on us as time was running out. Our bats fell silent again in the bottom of the 7th, with quick outs by Daulton Varsho, Alejandro Kirk, and Ernie Clement.
Springer Dinger!
Even in the face of adversity, George Springer never disappoints! Leading off the bottom of the 8th, Kevin Kiermaier got on base with a single. Springer followed with a 347-foot blast to left field, bringing us within striking distance at 5-4. This comeback effort had the crowd on their feet!
Our momentum took a hit, though, as Horwitz got on base but Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Justin Turner, and Leo Jimenez couldn't push him across. 
Nail-Biter to the End
Alex Green came in to shut down the Tigers in the top of the 9th, keeping it a one-run game heading into our final at-bats. We were so close, but unfortunately, we couldn't get anything past the Tigers’ bullpen in the bottom of the 9th. Daulton Varsho, Alejandro Kirk, and Ernie Clement couldn't muster the clutch hits we desperately needed, sealing a tense 5-4 loss.
Despite the loss, the fight shown by our boys, especially that spark by Springer and Guerrero Jr., gives us hope and excitement for our upcoming games! Go Jays Go!
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Scoreboard for Tigers @ Blue Jays (July 19th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 |