DETROIT – The night the Tigers honored Miguel Cabrera’s 500th career at home from five days earlier in Toronto, they beat the Blue Jays with a Victor Reyes clash inside the park. Reyes ’eighth inning around the bases decided what had been a pitching duel between Matt Manning and Steven Matz, and made Detroit win 2-1 on Friday at Comerica Park.
Both Manning and Matz delivered six ball innings in one throw, including Manning’s five kicks in the run. He was helped when Derek Hill ran down a Kevin Smith car to the center left and crashed into the fence to make the catch and finish the quarter. But the Tigers ’best speed was yet to come.
Reyes headed for Zack Short’s plate that came out of the eighth and hit a line that sank into the shallow center field. Jays’ rookie player Josh Palacios made a diving save, but Reyes’s shot went just wide. Third base coach Ramon Santiago helped Reyes when right-back Corey Dickerson recovered the ball and threw it towards Marcus Semien, the relay throw extended upward while Reyes slipped. from head to house.
It was the second day at the Tigers’ home this season, after Eric Haase’s drive to downtown White Sox left Dallas Keuchel on July 3rd. Ben Oglivie in 1976.