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Tigers edge Jays on Peralta's triple

Jun 28, 2011 - 2:02 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Jhonny Peralta hit an eighth-inning, RBI triple to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 4-2 victory over Toronto Blue Jays.

With one down and pinch-runner Austin Jackson on second, Peralta slapped a sinking liner to right, which escaped under the glove of the sliding Jose Bautista. Jackson scored easily to break a 2-2 tie.

Marc Rzepczynski (2-2) started the eighth and took the loss after allowing a Magglio Ordonez single, but it was Shawn Camp who surrendered the triple to Peralta.

The Blue Jays placed runners on the corners with one down in the ninth, but Jose Valverde induced Juan Rivera into a game-ending double play to record his 18th save of the season.

"We got in a little trouble there in the ninth, but it was a good win for us," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

Joaquin Benoit (2-3) worked a scoreless eighth to earn the victory.

Victor Martinez went 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Tigers, who have won three straight and four of five.

Adam Lind belted a solo home run in the makeup of a May 17 rainout, as the Blue Jays saw a three-game win streak come to an end.

With one down in the eighth, Ordonez singled to left. He was replaced by the speedy Jackson, who promptly stole second, before coming around to score on Peralta's triple. Camp then intentionally walked Alex Avila, before Peralta crossed the plate on a Ryan Raburn groundout to seal the final margin.

The Tigers got on the board first, as Miguel Cabrera led off the second with a single and came around to score on Martinez's double to left-center.

With runners on the corners in the third, Martinez worked the count full, then fouled off three consecutive sliders before slapping a grounder back at Zach Stewart. The ball deflected off Stewart's glove and trickled onto the outfield grass in right, allowing Brennan Boesch to score easily, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

Stewart settled, however. In all, he lasted six innings and allowed just the two runs on nine hits, while matching a career-high with four strikeouts.

The Tigers' lead quickly evaporated in the fourth, as Eric Thames led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on Bautista's groundout. Adam Lind followed with a solo shot to right to tie the game.

Yunel Escobar began the sixth with a single and, after a Thames strikeout, moved to third on Bautista's double down the left field line. The Tigers elected to walk Lind, loading the bases in an effort to get two. The move paid off, as Lind ground into an inning-ending, 3-2-3 double play

Like Stewart, Max Scherzer also turned in a quality performance, allowing two runs on six hits, while matching a season-high with nine strikeouts over seven innings.

The game took an interesting turn in the seventh, as Raburn began the frame with a single off reliever Jason Frasor. Andy Dirks then laid down a bunt. Aaron Hill charged the ball, dove, and flipped it with his glove to first for the apparent out. Umpire Ed Rapuano hesitated, however, before calling Dirks safe, indicating Lind left the bag. After conferring with home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez, Rapuano reversed his call.

Leyland did not take kindly to the reversal. He sprung from the dugout and let loose an animated rant directed at Rapuano, replete with re-enactments of the umpire's "safe" and "out" gestures, before being ejected to a standing ovation from the home crowd.

"We all had a nice little chuckle in the dugout," said Scherzer of Leyland's performance.

Game Notes

In 22 games since being reinstated from the disabled list on June 4, Lind has knocked in 22 runs...Scherzer has limited opponents to two or fewer walks in each of his last nine starts...Bautista has reached base safely in 65 of his 70 games this season...Stewart made his major league debut on June 16.