Green Blue Jays Belt Tigers

It took Shawn Green one at-bat to put his name in the Toronto Blue Jays record book.

Green extended his hitting streak to a team-record 27 games with a home run in the first inning of Toronto's 8-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

Green's 30th home run of the season broke John Olerud's team record 26-game hitting streak, set in 1993.

Willie Greene, who had three hits and drove in three runs, and Green hit consecutive homers in the first inning for a 2-1 lead. Green reached the 30-homer mark for the second straight year.

"Streaks are fun," Green said. "It makes the game a little more exciting, but it's all about production."

Kelvim Escobar (9-7) threw a six-hitter in his first career complete game in 31 starts. He struck out six and walked two in sending Detroit to its fourth straight loss.

"That was the best outing of his career," Toronto manager Jim Fregosi said. "He's got a great arm and a bright future."

Escobar pitched three-hit ball into the ninth. Tony Clark hit an RBI single, giving him a 17-game hitting streak.

Detroit reliever C.J. Nitkowski barely missed Carlos Delgado's head wit a pitch in the seventh. Delgado glared at Nitkowski, then hit the next pitch over the center-field wall for his 26th homer. Tony Fernandez followed with a home run.

"I didn't try to hit him. I was surprised he stared at me," Nitkowski said.

Delgado said it felt good to homer on the next pitch.

"Sometimes when you get hit, you go to first and hope the guy behind makes him pay. But I took matters into my own hands," Delgado said.

Luis Polonia led off the game with a broken-bat single, stole second and scored on Damion Easley's sacrifice fly. But Escobar, using a fastball that consistently hit 96 mph on the radar gun, did not allow another run until the ninth.

"He had a great fastball all game, he threw 96 in the ninth just a terrific outing," Fregosi said.

The Blue Jays scored three times in the fourth on Shannon Stewart's two-out, two-run single and Greene's RBI single.

Greene likely made his last start for a while. He was the designated hitter while David Segui, acquired from Seattle on Wednesday, served a one-game suspension.

Segui was penalized for his involvement in a 15-minute brawl between the Mariners and the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 11.

"It's the organization's decision to get David Segui," Greene said. "There's nothing I can do but just go out and play hard."

Jeff Weaver (6-7) lost his fourth straight decision. He gave up six runs on eight hits in six innings, and has not won in 11 starts since May 27.

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