Jays’ Soriano was untouchable until tenacious Tigers figured him out, rally to win

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Zach McKinstry drew a walk with one out in the sixth to end Soriano’s perfect game. He lost his no-hitter in the seventh when he gave up a single to Gleyber Torres to lead off the inning, earning a smattering of applause from the sold-out Rogers Centre crowd of 42,867.

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No Blue Jays pitcher has ever thrown a perfect game and Dave Stieb is the only pitcher to toss a no-hitter for the franchise, accomplishing the feat on Sept. 2, 1990.

“It was the third time I faced the same lineup and sometimes it’s tough facing a lineup for the third or fourth time,” said Soriano. “They take a different approach with you.

“So credit to the hitters, they were able to score a couple of runs.”

Dillon Dingler’s RBI single cashed in Torres, then Max Clark had a two-run double. Spencer Torkelson drove Clark in with another double for a quick four-run inning and a 4-2 lead.

Ultimately, Soriano struck out five and allowed four runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Kazuma Okamoto’s three-run homer in the seventh restored Toronto’s (75-76) lead in the bottom of the inning. Brett Callahan’s single up the left-field line tied it 5-5 in the eighth to help Detroit (71-79) win its fifth straight.

“It was a great game from both sides. They’re a really good team, and sometimes things happen,” said Soriano. “Baseball is like that, it’s going to be back and forth.

“Even with the way I started the game, sometimes it’s going to happen.”

Infielder Hao-Yu Lee grounded to Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., in the ninth inning with Toronto closer Louis Varland running from the mound to cover the base. Varland missed Guerrero’s throw and as he chased it down McKinstry raced home for the winning run.

“I thought, for one, good play on the hit from Vlad,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “That play, first baseman to pitcher, is always tough. I thought Vlad made a good throw and we just didn’t execute it.”

Toronto remains a game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final wild-card spot in the American League. Reliever Braydon Fisher will be the Blue Jays’ opener in a scheduled bullpen game against the Tigers on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press