Victor Martinez's Late Homer Lifts Tigers Over Blue Jays, 3-2
IAN HARRISON
Associated Press
TORONTO (AP) — Victor Martinez hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers stopped Toronto's seven-game winning streak, beating the Blue Jays 3-2 on Saturday.
Justin Upton had two hits and Andrew Romine reached base three times for the Tigers, who had lost seven of their previous nine against Toronto.
Bruce Rondon (3-1) earned the win despite allowing a tying home run to Devon Travis in the seventh. Rondon missed the first two games of the series with flu-like symptoms.
Justin Wilson pitched the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 24th save.
Martinez hit his 17th homer, a one-out drive off Jason Grilli (3-3).
Matt Boyd allowed one run and four hits in five innings for Detroit. He was recalled from Triple-A Toledo to start in place of Daniel Norris, who has a strained right oblique.
The Tigers loaded the bases against Blue Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez with nobody out in the second but Toronto got a double play to limit the damage.
Left fielder Ezequiel Carrera caught Steven Moya's fly ball and threw home in time to retire Martinez, who was attempting to tag up from third.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia walked to load the bases a second time before Romine drove in the game's first run when he was hit by a pitch
Saltalamacchia made it 2-0 in the fourth with a two-out RBI single. Carrera cut it to 2-1 with an RBI triple in the fifth.
Sanchez had pitched eight innings in each of his previous two starts, both victories, but wasn't as sharp against the Tigers. He allowed two runs and five hits in five innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: OF Jose Bautista (left big toe) has begun hitting off a tee, manager John Gibbons said. Bautista has not played since June 16. There is no timetable for his return. ... INF Ryan Goins, who went on the DL with a strained forearm after pitching an inning of relief in Toronto's 19-inning loss to Cleveland on July 1, has resumed throwing.
UP NEXT
Tigers: RHP Anibal Sanchez (5-9, 6.52) allowed a season-worst seven runs in 4 1-3 innings in a 12-1 loss at Cleveland on July 5. Sanchez has not won as a starter since April 28 against Oakland.
Blue Jays: RHP R.A. Dickey (6-9, 4.10) has allowed at least one home run in each of his past six starts, surrendering 11 in that span.
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