Tigers 8, Blue Jays 6
DETROIT -- Anibal Sanchez lost a no-hit bid in the eighth inning, and the Detroit Tigers also lost perennial All-Star first baseman Miguel Cabrera, then nearly squandered an eight-run lead before holding off the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6 on Friday night at Comerica Park.
Toronto left fielder and ex-Tiger Ezequiel Carrera smacked a one-out single to end Sanchez's try for a second career no-hitter. He pitched a no-hitter against Arizona on Sept. 6, 2006, for the Florida Marlins.
Sanchez (7-7) held the Blue Jays to two walks in the first seven innings. After first baseman Justin Smoak walked to lead off the eighth, he retired the next batter before Carrera's clean single. Sanchez gave up singles to the next two batters before he was pulled.
Toronto proceeded to score six runs in the inning, capped by catcher Dioner Navarro's three-run double. Joakim Soria notched his 18th save with a scoreless ninth.
Detroit's most recent no-hitter was May 7, 2011, when Justin Verlander recorded the second no-hitter of his career against the Blue Jays.
Cabrera exited in the fourth inning with a left calf strain and was scheduled to undergo an MRI. He pulled up running from first to second as designated hitter Victor Martinez fouled off a Drew Hutchison pitch.
Victor Martinez had three hits and scored twice while J.D. Martinez contributed two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers (40-39), who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Hutchison (8-2) allowed seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings for the Blue Jays (42-40), who committed three errors in the opener of a 10-game road trip.
Cabrera's RBI single in the first gave Detroit an early lead. The Tigers made it 6-0 in the fourth after he injured himself and required a pinch-runner.
Toronto's Carrera made two errors in the inning to aid the Tigers' cause. With the bases loaded and one out, Carrera attempted a diving catch on a ball hit by third baseman Nick Castellanos that squirted out of Carrera's glove. Pinch-runner Andrew Romine scored, but Carrera still had a chance to throw out Martinez on a force at third. His errant throw past third baseman Josh Donaldson allowed Martinez to score and the other runners to move into scoring position.
Detroit center fielder Anthony Gose then singled to left to bring home catcher Alex Avila, and when Carrera's throw bounced past the cutoff man, Castellanos also scored. Shortstop Jose Iglesias' sacrifice fly capped the outburst.
Right fielder J.D. Martinez's run-scoring double in the fifth nudged the Tigers' lead to 7-0.
NOTES: Detroit designated veteran relievers Joba Chamberlain and Tom Gorzelanny for assignment and called up RHP Drew VerHagen from Double-A Erie and RHP Jeff Ferrell from Triple-A Toledo. Chamberlain was 0-2 with a 4.09 ERA and Gorzelanny was 1-1 with a 6.38 ERA. "You're looking for effectiveness," GM Dave Dombrowski said. "They've been effective at times but not on a consistent basis." ... The Tigers also sent C Bryan Holaday to Toledo to make room for C Alex Avila, who was in the lineup after being activated from the 15-day disabled list. ... The Blue Jays recalled the contracts of LHP Felix Doubront and RHP Ryan Tepera from Triple-A Buffalo. They filled the roster spots of LHP Matt Boyd, who was sent to Buffalo late Thursday, and RHP Todd Redmond, who was designated for assignment. ... Boyd became the first starter in team history to give up seven runs without recording an out in Thursday's 12-6 loss to Boston. Dave Steib was the only other Blue Jays starter to face seven batters without getting an out, also against Boston in 1990.