Tigers burn Blue Jays in extra innings

Squandering a three-run lead in the ninth inning, the Toronto Blue Jays were dumped 6-5 in the 10th inning by the Detroit Tigers on Monday.

Toronto's Brian Wolfe walked two batters in the extra inning and when his shortstop Marco Scutaro couldn't handle a Lyle Overbay throw off an Alex Avila fielder's choice, it allowed Brandon Inge to scamper home and complete the come-from-behind Tigers' victory.

"Nothing to say. Just went off my mitt. That's it," Scutaro said.

A three-run shot by pinch-hitter Aubrey Huff off closer Jason Frasor pushed the Tigers to extra innings and cancelled out a three-run homer in the sixth by Blue Jay Adam Lind.

"I've hit a lot of home runs in my career, and that one felt like that was my first big league home run," said Huff. "Every win means so much. I've never been on a team where every game means so much. It's just a great time."

Toronto starter David Purcey worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs off of five hits and striking out four on the way to the no decision.

Returning to the rotation for the first time since April 27, Purcey (0-2) showed some rust in the first inning. First batter Ryan Raburn homered and the next two batters reached base on balls. Purcey did manage to escape the inning down by only one run.

It didn't help that the pitcher Purcey matched up against Justin Verlander (16-8), who is considered by many to be a candidate for this year's Cy Young award.

Verlander solved in the 6th

The Blue Jays managed only three hits in the first five innings against Verlander but cracked him in the sixth, tagging him for five runs off of six hits.

Travis Snider started things rolling with a lead-off double, Aaron Hill singled before Lind brought them home by smashing a hanging breaking ball into the stands in left field to double up on the Tigers.

It marks Lind's 100th RBI of the season and his 75 extra-bases hit, tops in the AL.

After a quick interlude that included Vernon Wells being ejected for arguing a call at first base, Edwin Encarnacion finished the sixth inning pummelling of Verlander, blasting a solo shot to centre field for the 5-2 lead.

Shawn Camp pitched the sixth while Jesse Carlson and Brandon League split duties in the seventh. Scott Downs escorted the Jays through the eighth but Jason Frasor couldn't hold off Huff and the Tigers in the ninth.

"It was a fastball count ... I've had success getting him out with heaters," Frasor said. "I didn't think I got it in enough. He was looking heater and he got it."

An error by Scutaro allowed Curtis Granderson to get on base, Avila singled to right field and Huff brought them home to send the game to extras where Scutaro's second error of the game sealed the win for the Tigers.