Castro has go-ahead hit, Tigers beat Blue Jays 4-1 in 10

TORONTO -- — Pinch-hitter Harold Castro singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and the Detroit Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 on Friday night.

Gregory Soto (5-3) got out of a jam in the ninth and wrapped it up in the tenth as the Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak.

Trevor Richards (5-2) struck out the first two batters he faced in the 10th before Castro, pinch hitting for catcher Grayson Greiner, lined a tiebreaking single to left, his second pinch-hit of the season.

“I was ready for the change up on the first pitch and I hit it good,” Castro said.

Jonathan Schoop and Jeimer Candelario added RBI singles off Blue Jays right-hander Adam Cimber, sending many in the crowd of 14,649 to the exits.

Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts and remains at 499 career home runs.

Detroit turned four double plays, including three that ended innings.

“Tonight we showed how taking outs away from teams and not giving outs to them was critical, especially against an explosive offense,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 36th home run for Toronto but the Blue Jays went 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position and lost for the sixth time in seven games. Toronto is 2-8 in extra innings.

Guerrero connected on the first pitch he saw from Tigers left-hander Tyler Alexander in the fourth, his 36th home run.

Alexander allowed one run and four hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out six.

“We needed that tonight,” a grateful Hinch said. “Our bullpen has been beat up a little bit and is exhausted.”

Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo credited Alexander for keep Toronto’s hot bats in check.

“The whole game we had chances to score, we just didn’t make an adjustment at the plate,” Montoyo said. “Their guy kept throwing that changeup and keeping us off balance.”

Alexander agreed that the changeup was an important weapon against Toronto’s all-right-handed lineup.

“I had it from the start, which is good, and I could tell they weren’t seeing it well,” Alexander said. “It kind of became my strikeout pitch.”

Cabrera popped up in the second, struck out swinging in a three-pitch at bat against Blue Jays left-hander Robbie Ray in the fourth, and grounded out on the first pitch he saw in the sixth.

Cabrera struck out swinging against Jordan Romano in the ninth and Adam Cimber in the 10th.

Ray kept the Tigers scoreless until the eighth, when Zack Short hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a sacrifice and stole third before scoring the tying run on a two-out wild pitch.

Ray allowed one run and five hits in a season-high eight innings. He walked none and struck out 11.

MORE ABOUT MIGGY

Before the game, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Cabrera would play all three games against the Blue Jays, regardless of whether he reaches 500 home runs in this series. HInch also said Cabrera wil start at first base when the Tigers visit St. Louis on Monday.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

A group of Cabrera fans in one of the stadium hotel rooms high above right field stuck a large ‘499’ sign on their window.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: RHP Joakim Soria (right middle finger) threw a bullpen before the game. Soria has pitched just once for Toronto since being acquired from Arizona on July 30. … RHP Julian Merryweather (strained left oblique) felt sore after pitching one inning for Class-A Dunedin in his first rehab outing Wednesday, manager Charlie Montoyo said. Merryweather’s next scheduled appearance has been pushed back.

Tigers: OF Derek Hill (left rib contusion) worked out before the game and could be activated off the injured list Saturday, manager A.J. Hinch said. Hill was injured in an Aug. 10 outfield collision with teammate Akil Baddoo during a game at Baltimore. … Baddoo was transferred Friday from the concussion list to the injured list. He is rehabbing at Triple-A Toledo.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (11-6, 3.72) starts Saturday against Tigers RHP Wily Peralta (3-2, 3.70). Ryu is 0-1 with an 8.59 ERA in two career games against Detroit.

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