Tigers 8, Blue Jays 3
DETROIT -- J.D. Martinez hit a home run for the ninth time in 11 games and David Price pitched seven solid innings to lead the Detroit Tigers to an 8-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday at Comerica Park.
Martinez's two-run blast in the first inning was his 22nd of the season, second most in the American League.
Price (8-2) allowed a baserunner in each of his seven innings but Toronto's only run off him came on a solo home run by center fielder Kevin Pillar.
Price scattered eight hits and struck seven for the Tigers (41-39), who learned earlier in the day that first baseman Miguel Cabrera, the two-time AL Most Valuable Player, would be out for an extended period.
Cabrera, who is batting a league-leading .350 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs, was diagnosed with a Grade 3 left calf strain and is expected to miss six weeks.
He was injured running from first to second during the fourth inning on Friday as designated hitter Victor Martinez fouled off a pitch. Cabrera was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his career.
Detroit second baseman Ian Kinsler had three hits and drove in two runs, and left fielder Yoenis Cespedes supplied three hits, scored a run and knocked in another.
Alex Avila started at first base for the first time in his career in place of Cabrera. Avila, the Tigers' regular catcher, tumbled into the stands to snag catcher Russell Martin's foul pop in the fourth.
Starter R.A. Dickey (3-9) allowed five runs on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings for Toronto (42-41). First baseman Chris Colabello hit a two-run home run in the ninth.
The Tigers ripped four extra-base hits and batted around in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. Martinez's home run to left highlighted the outburst and catcher James McCann's RBI triple capped it off.
Cespedes made it 5-0 in the fourth with a run-scoring single.
Pillar hit his one-out home run in the fifth. Detroit tacked on three runs in the eighth.
NOTES: The Tigers purchased the contract of INF Jefry Marte from Triple-A Toledo while placing 1B Miguel Cabrera on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday. Marte, who was selected the International League Player of the Month in June, was hitting .271 with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs in 77 games with the Mud Hens. ... Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said he would mix-and-match Alex Avila, Marte, Andrew Romine and possibly Josh Wilson at first base in Cabrera's absence. Ausmus does not want to use DH Victor Martinez, who has battled a knee injury this season, in the field. "Right now, he's not on the radar," Ausmus said. ... Blue Jays manager Josh Gibbons said he is undecided who will be the starting pitcher against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. RHP Marco Estrada will close out the Tigers series on Monday and LHP Mark Buehrle will open the White Sox series. ... Toronto has scored six or more runs in 22 of its last 27 victories.