The Toronto Blue Jays will have another chance against the visiting Detroit Tigers Tuesday night as they aim to make amends for a missed opportunity.

A lack of key hits early in the game came back to haunt the Blue Jays (75-76) in a 6-5 loss to the Tigers (71-79) on Monday in the opener of a three-game series. Detroit's winning run scored on an error in the ninth inning.

It hurt even more because the Cleveland Guardians lost 7-3 to the Chicago White Sox on Monday. Cleveland remained one game ahead of Toronto in the race for the third American League wild-card berth.

After taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning Monday, the Blue Jays left the bases loaded in the second and third. They were 2-for-11 hitting with runners in scoring position and left eight on base.

The game still seemed to be Toronto's to win because starter Jose Soriano had a perfect game through five innings and took a no-hit bid into the seventh. That is when the game took a dramatic change. Soriano allowed four runs in the seventh as the Tigers seized a 4-2 lead. Kazuma Okamoto's three-run homer in the bottom of the inning restored Toronto's lead.

In what could have ramifications for at least Tuesday night, Toronto closer Louis Varland was brought in to try to get a five-out save. However, he allowed the game-tying hit in the eighth and he was charged with an error when he failed to catch a long feed from first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that allowed Zach McKinstry to score what turned out to be the winning run from second.

"That play, a first baseman to pitcher, is always tough," Toronto manager John Schneider said. "I thought Vlad made a good throw. We just didn't execute it."

Guerrero had to range to his right to field a ball that might have been better left to second baseman Ernie Clement.

Varland made 31 pitches, which could mean he will be unavailable on Tuesday.

With starter Troy Melton lasting only 2 2/3 innings, the Tigers used five relievers.

"It's just a good character win," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "I mean, we had to go through a lot of twists and turns, and we were fortunate to still be in the game by how we navigated a few really messy innings."

Right-hander Drew Anderson (4-6, 3.80 ERA) is slated to start for the Tigers. He pitched four scoreless relief innings this season in his only career appearance against Toronto.

Toronto is expected to use right-hander Braydon Fisher (3-4, 3.22) as an opener on Tuesday. He is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in five career relief outings against the Tigers, including 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two games this season.

Toronto should have down-under right-hander Tyler Rogers, who was unavailable Monday because of usage.

"When a guy throws 83 from down under, you think you can pitch them every day," Schneider said. "I wish he could. I wish he was available tonight. ... but he's got the same restrictions as everybody."

Detroit made a lineup change for Monday when Colt Keith was scratched because of a sore left thumb and Hao-Yu Lee played third.

"When (Keith) hit the fence (Sunday) and got kind of twisted in the net on the foul ball, it came up a little bit sore and a little bit swollen today," Hinch said.

--Field Level Media