Donaldson, Thole power Blue Jays past Tigers
TORONTO -- Josh Donaldson hit a three-run homer, Josh Thole had two RBIs, R.A. Dickey allowed one run in seven innings and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-1 Sunday afternoon.
The Blue Jays (51-40) finished an 11-game homestand that led to the All-Star break with an 8-3 record, and the Tigers (46-43) finished their 11-game road trip 6-5.
Dickey (7-9) allowed five hits and two walks and struck out five before Jesse Chavez replaced him to start the eighth.
Detroit starter Anibal Sanchez (5-10) allowed eight hits, two walks and five runs in four innings. The right-hander struck out six..
The Blue Jays took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on Thole's two-out, two-run single. It scored Troy Tulowitzki and Kevin Pillar, who started the inning with singles. Justin Smoak walked with one out to load the bases.
Donaldson's 23rd homer of the season put the Blue Jays into a 5-0 lead. It scored Thole, who walked with two out, and Ezequiel Carrera, who singled. That set up Donaldson and the Blue Jays third baseman, who was used as designated hitter on Sunday, drilled an 0-1 fastball to left-center.
The homer gave Donaldson 80 runs scored, which made him the sixth player in American League history to score 80 or more runs and hit 20 or more home runs before the All-Star break. Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Reggie Jackson, Frank Thomas and Alex Rodriguez were the others.
The Tigers scored in the fifth on a leadoff triple by Mike Aviles and a grounder to second by James McCann.
Dustin Molleken replaced Sanchez in the fifth.
After walking McCann with one out one in the seventh, Dickey was visited at the mound by manager John Gibbons and trainer George Poulis briefly. Dickey continued and finished the inning on two fly outs.
Left-hander Kyle Ryan replaced Molleken in the bottom of the seventh after Pillar bunted for a single and Devon Travis singled up the middle, and Ryan ended the inning on a flyout by Smoak. .
Chavez retired Cameron Maybin on a grounder to short and Miguel Cabrera on a strikeout in the eighth before left-hander Brett Cecil came in to retire Victor Martinez on a popout to short.
Darwin Barney and Thole opened the bottom of the eighth with singles, and Carrera moved them to second and third with a soft groundout to third. Donaldson was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Michael Saunders singled to left to score one run.
Toronto right-hander Bo Schultz pitched around a single and a walk in the ninth to finish the game.
NOTES: Toronto 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion dropped his appeal and served a one-game suspension Sunday. He received the suspension for bumping home plate umpire Vic Carapazza on July 1 after being ejected for arguing balls and strikes. Encarnacion has 80 RBIs, third most by a Blue Jays player at the All-Star break behind 1B Carlos Delgado with 97 and CF Vernon Wells with 84, both in 2003. ... The Tigers agreed to terms on a minor league deal with OF Alex Presley, who played in 47 games this season with the Milwaukee Brewers, batting .198 with three homers and 11 RBIs. He hit .344 with on homer and three RBIs in nine games with Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... The Tigers announced that RHP Warwick Saupold (right groin strain) is scheduled to begin a rehabilitation assignment at Class A Lakeland. He has been out since June 1.