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Galarraga helps Tigers gain split against Blue Jays

Apr 21, 2008 - 9:47 PM TORONTO (Ticker) -- With Dontrelle Willis still on the disabled list, rookie Armando Galarraga once again filled in admirably for the Detroit Tigers.

Galarraga pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings Monday as the Tigers jumped out to an early lead en route to a 5-1 triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Ryan Raburn had two RBI and Edgar Renteria hit a solo home run for the Tigers, who gained a split of their four-game series.

Detroit entered with losses in three of its last four contests but received a huge lift from Galarraga (2-0), who earned his second major league win while Willis still nurses a hyperextended right knee.

Galarraga allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings Wednesday in a 13-2 victory over Cleveland. The righthander was outstanding again in Monday's matinee, yielding three hits and four walks with four strikeouts, and even escaping a pair of bases-loaded jams.

"My fastball moves so much, I tried to get in the zone quickly when they got the bases loaded a couple times," Galarraga said. "I try to be more aggressive when they get runners on base."

Detroit took control early in the game after loading the bases with nobody out in the top of the second inning.

Raburn delivered a two-run single to center and Brandon Inge followed with a sacrifice fly to center field. Two batters later, Ivan Rodriguez capped the inning with an RBI single to center, giving Detroit a 4-0 bulge.

"I just relaxed a little bit at the plate, just get good pitches to hit and be able to put the ball in play," said Rodriguez, who had four hits.

It would be all the run support Galarraga would need, as the 26-year-old got himself out of a couple of big jams.

Toronto loaded the bases with two outs in the third inning, but Galarraga got Aaron Hill to ground out to end the threat.

In the fourth, Galarraga struck out Gregg Zaun with the bases loaded before inducing a weak groundout from Joe Inglett to escape trouble again.

"When everybody gets in those situations, we need to do a better job of being patient and capitalizing on opportunities," Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells said. "We're going through a rough streak right now."

Renteria hit his third homer of the year in the sixth to cap Detroit's scoring.

Blue Jays starter Shaun Marcum (2-1), who had allowed six runs through his first three starts, surrendered five runs - four earned - in 5 2/3 innings. The righthander gave up five hits and four walks with two strikeouts.

"My fastball wasn't locating at all and everything comes off your fastball," Marcum said. "So when you can't get that going, it's tough to pitch."

Zaun homered in the ninth off Todd Jones for Toronto, which left 10 men on base.