Matt Manning and the Tigers’ bullpen combine to no-hit the Blue Jays

A literal matter of hours after scoring 12 runs on 14 hits, the Blue Jays were unable to register a single knock this afternoon against the Detroit Tigers. Matt Manning, Jason Foley, and Alex Lange combined for nine hitless frames, recording the ninth no-hitter in Detroit Tigers history.

It was the seventh time in Blue Jays’ history that the team has been no-hit. Justin Verlander did so in both 2011 and 2019 and James Paxton became the first Canadian ever to pitch a no-hitter in Canada in 2018. Len Barker in 1981, Dave Stewart in 1990, and Nolan Rayn in 1991 were the other three pitchers who no-hit the Blue Jays.

Although it was combined, Toronto saw Matt Manning for 6.2 innings. Despite getting some hard contact and deep fly balls off of him, Detroit’s defence was good enough to turn them into outs. This game was actually delayed for about an hour and some change due to rain, and it started with some solid downpour in the top of the 1st. Manning hit Bo Bichette with a pitch and walked Brandon Belt to lead off the game, and with the rain continuing, it looked like Toronto might’ve been getting some help from Mother Nature. Manning sat down the next three batters, however, and the Blue Jays would have only two more baserunners between the second and ninth inning.

One of those was Whit Merrifield in the second, and he actually made it to second base with one out. Unfortunately, he was caught stealing third during an Alejandro Kirk at-bat, and the threat was nullified. A wildly inconsistent offence continued to stay inconsistent.

Kevin Gausman unjustly earned the loss today after throwing another quality start. Gausman threw six innings allowing five hits, two runs, two walks, and seven strikeouts, but most of that damage was done in the first inning. Both runs were allowed then, a frame in which Gausman allowed an infield single, a double, a triple, and a walk. Between his final five innings, Gausman was sensational and good enough to win the game.

What’s Next: Toronto will look to close out the first half of the season on a high note tomorrow afternoon with Chris Bassitt starting. He will be opposed by Tarik Skubal, who is making only his second appearance of the season. He was activated off of the 60-day injured list on July 4th after undergoing flexor tendon surgery last year.