Blue Jays 8, Tigers 6
DETROIT -- J.P. Arencibia hit a three-run, go-ahead double in the seventh inning as the Toronto Blue Jays erased a five-run deficit and defeated the Detroit Tigers 8-6 at chilly, damp Comerica Park on Wednesday.
Mark DeRosa also drove in three runs and reliever Aaron Loup recorded his first major-league victory with an inning of scoreless relief. Casey Janssen recorded his second save for Toronto, which ended a five-game losing streak to Detroit. The game was delayed two hours and 29 minutes by rain.
Jhonny Peralta had three hits and an RBI for the Tigers.
Arencibia's three-run double to left center off Octavio Dotel put the Blue Jays on top 8-6. That was preceded by three consecutive walks by Brayan Villarreal (0-1), which forced in the first run of Toronto's four-run outburst.
The Tigers gave starter Rick Porcello some early support with single runs in the first two innings. Prince Fielder had an RBI fielder's choice, beating out a potential double-play ball while Austin Jackson scored. Omar Infante's two-out single in the second knocked in Matt Tuiasosopo, who reached on Emilio Bonifacio's fourth error this season.
Bonifacio cut Detroit's lead to 2-1 in the fifth with a two-out, bloop double. The Tigers responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Torii Hunter had an RBI single off Toronto starter Mark Buehrle and reliever Steve Delabar issued bases-loaded walks to Victor Martinez and Andy Dirks. Peralta added a bloop RBI single.
Edwin Encarnacion's run-scoring double knocked out Porcello in the sixth and pinch-hitter DeRosa followed with a two-run double off Darin Downs to make it 6-4.
NOTES: The Blue Jays claimed outfielder Caspar Wells off waivers from Seattle prior to the game. Wells had 10 home runs and batted .228 in 93 games for the Mariners last season. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Blue Jays designated reliever Alex Burnett for assignment. ... Encarnacion snapped an 0 for 19 drought with a fourth-inning double. ... Martinez returned after missing Detroit's 7-3 victory over Toronto on Tuesday with a cut on his right thumb that required eight stitches. ... Tigers manager Jim Leyland reiterated before the game that Joaquin Benoit would handle the bulk of the closing duties but his relievers don't have defined roles. "I'm going to use anybody at any time," he said. ... Toronto's last win at Comerica Park was May 16, 2011. ... Miguel Cabrera has a .380 average with runners in scoring position since 2011, tops in the American League. ... Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie, who has not played this season because of a left oblique strain, will participate in an extended spring training game Thursday. The club is hopeful Lawrie can rejoin them by next weekend's home series against New York.
