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Tigers try to solve Blue Jays

Jun 4, 2014 - 2:55 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Detroit Tigers will try to avoid a fourth straight setback on Wednesday evening when they resume a three-game series against the rolling Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays and Tigers put up zeros for eight innings in Tuesday's opener before Toronto got on the board with five runs in the top of the frame. Though Detroit got three back on J.D. Martinez's homer in the bottom of the inning, it wasn't enough in a 5-3 setback that was the club's seventh loss in 10 games.

Locked in the scoreless contest, the Tigers went to closer Joe Nathan in the top of the ninth, but he began his outing with a walk to Anthony Gose and eventually gave up the game's first run on an RBI single by Jose Bautista. Another walk to load the bases ended Nathan's outing.

"Joe has been very good for a long time," said Detroit manager Brad Ausmus. "I expect him to be very good for the Tigers and he expects himself to be very good, but even the best have rough times."

Kevin Pillar greeted reliever Ian Krol with a sacrifice fly and Brett Lawrie followed with a back-breaking three-run homer off Al Alburquerque as Toronto broke out for its 12th victory in 14 games.

Drew Hutchison dazzled once again for the Jays, yielding just three hits over seven scoreless frames. Hutchison, who struck out seven Tigers and did not walk a batter, hasn't lost since May 11 and had won three straight starts since coming.

"I believe I'm a good pitcher and I'm capable of doing that every night," said Hutchison.

Anibal Sanchez matched his counterpart, tossing seven two-hit innings for the Tigers in his fourth start since returning from the disabled list.

Detroit right-hander Rick Porcello looks to stay in the win column tonight after working through some issues last time out.

Porcello saw a six-start win streak snapped after he allowed seven earned runs on May 24 against Texas, but rebounded to defeat Oakland on Thursday despite giving up five hits and six walks over 5 1/3 innings. He held the damage to two runs in the 5-4 win, moving to 8-2 with a 3.68 earned run average on the year.

"I was fortunate to get out of some of the innings I got out of," said Porcello.

The 25-year-old is slated to make his seventh career start versus Toronto, which he is 2-3 against lifetime with a 4.89 ERA.

Getting the call tonight for the Blue Jays will be R.A. Dickey, who had a string of seven straight starts allowing three earned runs or fewer snapped in a no-decision versus Kansas City on Thursday.

The right-hander yielded five runs on 10 hits over five-plus innings, striking out seven with one walk. That left him 5-4 on the season with a 4.30 ERA.

Dickey, 39, is 5-2 with a save and 3.86 ERA in his career versus Detroit, a span that includes 15 appearances with eight starts.

The Tigers have won nine of their past 12 against the Blue Jays.