Reyes hits tiebreaking inside-the-park HR, Tigers beat Jays

DETROIT (AP) — Victor Reyes hit a pinch-hit tiebreaking inside-the-park home run in the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers held on to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 on Friday night.

Reyes, hitting for Zack Short, led off the inning with a sinking drive to center. Josh Palacios missed a diving attempt at the catch and the ball rolled to the wall. Reyes hit third base at full speed, and the aggressive baserunning paid off as Reyes slid safely under Marcus Semien's high relay throw to the plate.

“I'm happy, because that's the first one of my career and we got the win,” Reyes said through a translator. “But (third-base coach) Santiago deserves all the credit — as soon as I came around second, I saw him waving me home, so I ran as fast as I could.”

Blue Jays manager Charley Montoyo said he would discuss the play with his rookie centerfielder on Saturday.

“He's a young guy and he's trying to make a play, but that was a mistake," Montoyo said. “It's 420 feet to the wall in center here, so if that ball gets by you, the hitter is going to score. We'll talk tomorrow, but he knows it was the wrong play.”

Reyes became the first major leaguer since 1961 (expansion era) to have a pinch-hit go-ahead inside-the-park home run, the Tigers said. Ben Oglivie is the only other Tigers player to hit a pinch-hit inside-the-park home run, on June 2, 1976.

“That was an incredible send by (Santiago),” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “(Corey) Dickerson did a nice job of backing up the play, but we always preach being aggressive and we forced them to make a perfect relay and it went high.”

Jose Cisnero (3-4) picked up the win and Gregory Soto pitched the ninth for his 16th save. Tim Mayza (4-2) took the loss after allowing the Reyes home run.

Neither starter was involved in the decision....

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Reyes-hits-tiebreaking-inside-the-park-HR-Tigers-16417837.php