Blue Jays bats hushed in loss to Tigers

The Toronto Blue Jays were limited to just six base hits on Saturday afternoon, falling short 3-2 in a loss to the Detroit Tigers to end their winning streak of seven games.

Starter Aaron Sanchez lasted five innings in the start, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out four. His pitch count quickly grew to 92 through five frames and Sanchez was relieved by Joe BIagini to open the sixth. Biagini pitched two innings of scoreless relief, striking out three,

Ezequiel Carrera provided the defensive highlight of the game with the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the second inning, catching a low liner in left field and throwing a strike to Russell Martin at home plate to get Miguel Cabrera, who had tagged from third. The Tigers cashed in their first run of the game later that inning, however, when Aaron Sanchez hit Andrew Romine with the bases loaded again.

Carrera broke the Blue Jays through against Matt Boyd in the fifth, tripling down the right-field line to bring in Junior Lake and make it 2-1 for Detroit. A deep drive to left field off the bat of Devon Travis later tied it up at two with Bruce Rondon on the mound for the TIgers,

That lead quickly evaporated on a Victor Martinez home run off Jason Grilli in the ninth inning. Drew Storen followed to pitch the top of the ninth, striking out one and not allowing a base runner.

Former Blue Jays starter Matt Boyd had a strong day on the mound for Detroit, pitching five innings of one-run ball and striking out six. Boyd was sent to the Tigers last July as part of the package to acquire David Price.

Tomorrow afternoon’s 1:07 p.m. series finale is Toronto’s final game before the All-Star break, with R.A. Dickey (6-9, 4.10) scheduled to face Anibal Sanchez (5-9, 6.52 ERA)