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(Sports Network) - Rookie Rick Porcello was solid on the hill and Brandon Inge had two hits and knocked in a pair of runs to lead the Detroit Tigers past the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-2, in the third installment of a four- game set.
Porcello (13-8) got the win after going six innings and giving up two runs on four hits with two punchouts and as many walks. Zach Miner, Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney combined to throw the final three innings, and yielded one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.
Marcus Thames and Aubrey Huff drove in a run each for the Tigers, who snapped a five-game slide. Gerald Laird had two RBI and Miguel Cabrera went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
The Tigers have a 5 1/2-game lead over the White Sox for the lead in the AL Central.
Fellow rookie Ricky Romero (12-8) took the loss after surrendering four runs on 10 hits in six innings of work. Aaron Hill and Edwin Encarnacion drove in a run each for Toronto, which saw its three-game winning streak halted.
Sitting on a two-run lead in the eighth inning, the Tigers struck for some insurance runs. Clete Thomas drew a two-out walk off Josh Roenicke and moved to second on a wild pitch. Cabrera was then intentionally walked and Huff followed with an RBI double. Inge's two-run base hit gave Detroit a 7-2 cushion.
Rodney worked around a leadoff walk to Vernon Wells to shut the door in the ninth.
The Tigers got on the board in the second inning. Cabrera drew a leadoff walk, nabbed second and crossed home later in the frame as Laird singled to left field.
Detroit tacked on three more runs in the third stanza. It was second and third with no outs as Placido Polanco walked and Magglio Ordonez doubled. Cabrera then offered an RBI single and Thames grounded into a run-scoring fielder's choice. Three batters later, Laird's single made it 4-0.
Encarnacion's RBI double in the fourth and Hill's run-scoring groundout in the fifth closed it to 4-2 for the visitors.
Game Notes
Porcello now leads all rookie pitchers with 13 wins...Toronto went 2-for-6 with RISP and left four men on base. Detroit was 6-for-16 with RISP and stranded 13 runners...Toronto is now 5-2 against the Tigers this season and 8-3 between the teams dating back to last season.
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