|
 Trailing 4-2 entering the ninth, the Tigers set the stage for
their rally when J.D. Martinez doubled on the first pitch he saw
from Casey Janssen (3-1), who hung a curveball that Castellanos
belted over the wall in left-center to tie it. Two pitches later,
Suarez drove a cutter over the fence in straightaway center to give
Detroit its only lead of the game.
Al Alburquerque (3-1) retired all five batters he faced in the
seventh and the eighth while Joe Nathan left the bases loaded in the
ninth for his 24th save as the Tigers maintained their lead in the
American League Central at 2 1/2 games. Ian Kinsler added three hits
and two RBIs for Detroit while Munenori Kawasaki went 2-for-2 and
scored a run for Toronto, which dropped 1 1/2 games behind Kansas
City for the AL’s second wild-card spot and six back of Baltimore in
the AL East.
 Danny Valencia sparked Toronto in the opening frame with a two-out
run-scoring hit before the Blue Jays opened it up against Anibal
Sanchez in the second when Kawasaki sparked a three-run outburst
with a leadoff double. Following a sacrifice bunt, Ryan Goins plated
him on a suicide-squeeze play while Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista
followed moments later with a pair of RBI singles.
Detroit broke through in the third, getting a leadoff walk by Suarez
and double from Rajai Davis ahead of Kinsler, who singled up the
middle to cut the four-run deficit in half. Dustin McGowan and Brett
Cecil each pitched a flawless inning in relief of Toronto starter
R.A. Dickey, but Janssen was unable to hold the two-run lead en
route to his first blown save since June 9.
[to top of second column] |
GAME NOTEBOOK: Sanchez, who was pitching at Rogers Centre for the first
time since his Tigers’ debut in 2012, suffered an apparent right
pectoral injury after 4 2/3 innings and was charged with four runs
(three earned) and 10 hits. … Dickey allowed two runs on five hits and
four walks while striking out six in six frames. … Suarez, who missed
the previous three games due to a knee injury, homered for the first
time since June 14.
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