Riley Greene hits homer, has two-run double as Tigers edge Blue Jays 5-4

Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene (31) hits a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in second inning American League baseball action in Toronto on Friday, May 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker

TORONTO — Riley Greene homered and added a two-run double to spark the Detroit Tigers to a 5-4 series-opening win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

Greene homered in the second inning and knocked in two more runs in the fifth.

Zach McKinstry and Javier Baez also belted solo homers in the fourth and eighth innings, respectively, to give the American League-leading Tigers (30-15) their fourth consecutive victory before 23,146 at Rogers Centre.

Bo Bichette began the bottom half of the eighth with a solo shot to left field, his fourth, off reliever Tommy Kahnle to bring the Blue Jays (21-23) within a run.

With the Blue Jays down 4-0, Varsho belted a two-run shot in the sixth, scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. It was Varsho’s sixth home run of the year.

Toronto starter Bowden Francis (2-6) lasted 4 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

Detroit’s Jack Flaherty (2-5) also struck out six in 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk. Beau Brieske pitched the ninth. He gave up a pair of two-out singles, but hung on for his first save.

Takeaways

Tigers: Flaherty, who won a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers last fall, halted a five-game losing streak, the longest of his career.

Blue Jays: Manager John Schneider decided to give Anthony Santander a day off. The free-agent acquisition has struggled with a .187 average, five homers and 16 RBI after a career-best 44 homers in 2024.

Key Moment

Detroit centre-fielder Baez stretched out to save an extra-base hit from Nathan Lukes in the right-field gap. Baez then doubled off Addison Barger at first base after his second-inning leadoff walk.

Key Stat

Francis has given up 14 home runs this season after the two dingers by Greene and McKinstry. It’s the most allowed by a pitcher in Major League Baseball so far this season.

Up Next

The Blue Jays had not announced a starter for Saturday, meaning it likely will be a bullpen outing. The Tigers will counter with righty Reese Olson (4-3).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2025.

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press