Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman throws a pitch during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre in Toronto.Nick Turchiaro/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
Drake’s new album, Scorpion, was blaring out of the sound system in the Toronto Blue Jays clubhouse before their game against the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre on Friday night.
It was a sure sign that rap aficionado Marcus Stroman was taking the mound for the home side and the sounds obviously lifted him. Stroman was good – really good – in his second successive start since returning from the disabled list, one of the leading lights as Toronto beat Detroit 3-2.
The loss was the 10th in a row for the sinking Tigers (36-47) while the Blue Jays (38-43) snapped a two-game mini-skid.
Justin Smoak provided most of the offensive heroics, swatting a two-run home run off Detroit starter Francisco Liriano, a former Blue Jay, in the three-run fourth, which put the Blue Jays in front 3-1.
Stroman went seven strong innings and allowed two runs off five hits with four strike outs and no walks. The right-hander surrendered a solo homer to Jeimer Candelario to lead off the seventh inning, which cut the Toronto lead to one.
The Toronto bullpen did a great job with Seunghwan Oh and then Tyler Clippard providing two innings of one-hit ball, combining to strike out five batters. Clippard picked up the save.