Blue Jays back Berrios with early home runs in rout of Tigers

Lourdes Gurriel Jr., George Springer and Bo Bichette homered during a four-run second inning, Jose Berrios pitched eight strong innings and the Toronto Blue Jays routed the Detroit Tigers 10-1 on Friday night.

Springer reached base four times while scoring three runs and knocking in a pair. Gurriel and Bichette added run-scoring doubles and the Blue Jays had eight extra-base hits during the first six innings. Toronto has won 12 of its last 15 games, scoring six or more runs in 11 of those victories.

"The at-bats have been great," Springer said. "Guys are starting to slow things down a little bit and starting to understand how they're being pitched. They're just developing a plan and staying with it."

He held Minnesota to two runs and struck out 13 in seven innings in his previous start.

"I've been executing well," he said. "Throwing quite a few sliders, quite a few sinkers. That's why I've been successful out there."

Detroit starter Elvin Rodriguez (0-2) was pounded for eight runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Pinch-hitter Willi Castro ended Berrios' shutout bid with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo was hopeful of getting a complete game out of Berrios before he ran into eighth-inning trouble.

The game was delayed 26 minutes during the third inning by rain.

Bichette and Alejandro Kirk had RBI doubles in the first. Toronto's home run outburst in the second increased its lead to 6-0.

Rodriguez gave up 10 runs to the New York Yankees in his previous start.

Santiago Espinal's run-scoring single and Gurriel's RBI double made it 8-0 in the fifth. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had an RBI double and Kirk supplied a run-scoring single in the sixth.

Tigers pitcher Casey Mize will have Tommy John surgery, manager A.J. Hinch announced prior to the game. Mize, the top pick of the 2018 June amateur draft, has been on the injured list with a right elbow sprain since April 15 after making two starts this season. Mize's ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow is still intact, but a specialist determined the ligament had stretched to the point where it has lost elasticity and functionality.

Blue Jays pitcher Andrew Vasquez was placed on the 15-day IL with a right ankle sprain. Jeremy Beasley was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.

Tigers outfielder Robbie Grossman (neck strain) was activated from the 10-day injured list. He was removed in the eighth inning on Friday after fouling a ball off his leg. Daz Cameron was placed on the COVID IL after being a close contact of someone who tested positive.

Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman (5-4, 2.78 ERA) will make his 12th start on Saturday. He had his shortest outing of the season against Minnesota on Sunday, allowing five runs (three earned) and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. He's 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA in eight career starts against Detroit.

Tigers' Beau Brieske (0-5, 5.93 ERA) is still seeking his first major league victory, though he deserved a better fate in his last start. He held the powerful New York Yankees lineup to two runs on three hits and struck out seven in six innings on Saturday.