Tigers scrape by Blue Jays
If Tuesday's determined performance proved anything, the Detroit Tigers refuse to let even the plucky Toronto Blue Jays stand in the way of an American League Central pennant.
Jeremy Bonderman pitched six solid innings in matching his career high of 14 wins. (Duane Burleson/Associated Press)
Placido Polanco drove in three runs as the hometown Tigers nipped the Blue Jays 4-3 in front of 27,908 fans at Comerica Park.
With the win, Detroit moved 1½ games ahead of Minnesota atop the AL Central, pending the outcome of the Royals-Twins game.
Brandon Inge had the other run batted in for the Tigers (95-62), who are playoff-bound for the first time since clinching the American League East in 1987.
Detroit starter Jeremy Bonderman won his third straight start, allowing one unearned run and three hits over six innings.
Bonderman (14-8) walked three and struck out four batters.
Todd Jones recorded the final three outs for his 37th save.
Frank Catalanotto and Gregg Zaun had RBIs for the Blue Jays (83-74).
Lyle Overbay's hitting streak was halted at 15 games as he went 0-3.
Dustin McGowan made his second start of the season for Toronto, giving up two unearned runs on two hits in two innings before handing the ball to rookie reliever Davis Romero.
McGowan (1-2) walked one and whiffed one, but remains winless since May 3.
Detroit staked Bonderman to a 2-0 in the second inning.
Carlos Guillen walked, Fredericton's Matt Stairs singled, and Inge reached first safely on an Aaron Hill fielding error to load the bases for Polanco, who singled in two runs. Toronto tallied its first run in similar fashion in the top of the fourth inning, loading the bases on Sean Casey's error and a pair of walks for Zaun, who delivered Catalanotto with a run-scoring sacrifice fly.
Guillen led off the sixth with a single, moved to second on Craig Monroe's walk and stole third before scoring on Ingle's RBI single to make it 3-1.
Polanco then executed a perfect suicide squeeze to plate Monroe with Detroit's fourth run.
The Blue Jays answered back with two runs in the seventh on Catalanotto's RBI single and a passed ball that scored Alex Rios.
With files from the Canadian Press
