Verlander pitches Tigers past Blue Jays
July 22, 2010
DETROIT (AP)—Miguel Cabrera(notes) started a three-run eighth inning with an RBIdouble, and Justin Verlander(notes) settled down after a rocky start to go eightinnings in the Detroit Tigers’ 5-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays onThursday.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Rick… The Canadian Press – Jul 22, 3:51 pm EDT Tor-Det Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init(); Series at a Glance Toronto 2 Detroit 5 Thu, Jul 22 – Final Toronto at Detroit Fri, Jul 23 – 7:05 pm ET Toronto at Detroit Sat, Jul 24 – 7:05 pm ET
Verlander (12-5) struggled the first two innings but ended up allowing onlytwo runs on eight hits. He walked two batters in the first but didn’t issueanother base on balls.
Ricky Romero(notes) (7-7) took the loss, giving up three runs on seven hits inseven-plus innings.
Johnny Damon(notes) started the eighth with a walk, bringing Shawn Camp(notes) out of theToronto bullpen to replace Romero. Magglio Ordonez(notes) singled, moving Damon tosecond, and Cabrera followed with his third hit—a tie-breaking double into theleft-center field gap.
Ryan Raburn’s(notes) single gave the Tigers a 4-2 lead, and Gerald Laird(notes) added asacrifice fly.
Jose Valverde(notes) pitched the ninth for his 20th save as Detroit won its secondstraight after a season-worst seven-game losing streak. Toronto lost for justthe second time in seven games.
Both teams missed several chances to break the game open.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the first on a double and two walks, butVerlander got Aaron Hill(notes) to pop out and end the inning.
In the second, though, Lyle Overbay(notes) led off with a double and John Buck(notes)followed with his 14th homer of the season. DeWayne Wise(notes) tripled with one out inthe inning—Toronto’s fourth extra-base hit in the first 10 batters—but wasleft stranded.
The Tigers didn’t get their first hit until the fourth, when Damon’s one-outdouble started what looked like a promising rally. Ordonez walked, and Cabrerafollowed with an RBI single that put runners on the corners.
Raburn, though, struck out and Ordonez was easily thrown out when he triedto score after the third strike rolled a few feet away from the catcher.
The Tigers threatened another big inning in the fifth, but only got AustinJackson’s(notes) tying RBI single before Ordonez grounded out with the bases loaded.
Toronto also lost a chance on the bases when Yunel Escobar(notes) was thrown outtrying to stretch a two-run double in the seventh.
NOTES: Blue Jays OF Fred Lewis(notes) sat out the game after straining his ankleWednesday, but is not expected to miss significant time. … Tigers rookie LFBrennan Boesch(notes) got a day off after going 1 for 14 in Detroit’s three-game seriesagainst Texas. … The Blue Jays recalled IF Mike McCoy(notes) from Triple-A Toledobefore the game and sent down starting pitcher Marc Rzepczynski(notes), who lostWednesday night to Kansas City.