Tulowitzki, Blue Jays rally past Tigers
TORONTO -- Troy Tulowitzki hit a he go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning and had three RBIs in the game to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.
By winning the opener of four-game series, the Blue Jays (49-39) extended their season-best winning streak to six games.
Justin Upton and Nick Castellanos hit solo homers for the Tigers (45-41).
Jason Grilli (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win. Roberto Osuna pitched a perfect ninth for his 18th save.
Tigers starter Justin Verlander allowed six hits, four walks and two runs in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five.
Blue Jays starter Drew Hutchison allowed six hits (including two home runs), one walk and three runs in six innings. The right-hander, who was making his second spot start of the season, struck out seven.
The Tigers increased their lead to 4-2 in seventh against left-handed reliever Brett Cecil. James McCann led off with a double, took third on a single by Jose Iglesias and scored on Ian Kinsler's double-play grounder to short.
Michael Saunders led off the bottom of the seventh with a double, and he scored on Troy Tulowitzki's one-out single.
Ezequiel Carrera led off the bottom of the eighth with a single to center against left-hander Justin Wilson (2-2), and he took third on a single to right by Josh Donaldson.
Edwin Encarnacion struck out. Carrera was out between home and third on Saunders' bouncer to first. Russell Martin walked to load the bases, and right-hander Alex Wilson entered to face Tulowitzki, who hit a two-run single to right to give the Blue Jays the lead.
The Blue Jays led 2-0 after the first inning.
Donaldson walked with one out and took second when Encarnacion grounded out to third. Saunders hit an RBI single, and Martin followed with an RBI double.
Upton hit his ninth homer of the season on an 0-2 fastball with two out in the second to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the third on Donaldson's double and walks to Saunders and Tulowitzki before Verlander struck out Justin Smoak on a curve.
Castellanos hit his 17th homer of the season to left center on a 1-1 fastball to tie the game with one out in the fourth.
Upton followed with a double to left, and McCann blooped a single to right that scored Upton. McCann was tagged out trying for a double.
NOTES: Toronto RHP Bo Schultz was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to replace RHP Marco Estrada (sore back), who went on the disabled list. It is the second stint for Schultz with Toronto. He was not available Wednesday. ... Tigers RHP Michael Fulmer improved his record to 9-2 on Wednesday, holding the Cleveland Indians to two runs (one earned) in six innings. He has allowed one or no earned runs in nine straight starts, the second longest such streak by a Tigers' pitcher since 1913. RHP Doug Fister had 10 consecutive starts in which he yielded one or no earned runs from Aug. 20, 2011-May 12, 2012. ... Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ (11-3, 3.54 ERA) will start Friday against Tigers RHP Mike Pelfrey (2-7, 4.78). Happ's 11 wins are the most by a Toronto pitcher before the All-Star break since RHP Roy Halladay in 2008.