Final: Blue Jays 8, Tigers 2

DETROIT--The Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays played a game of tit-for-tat Wednesday night in game two of a three-game series. Neither team wasted any time in putting a run on the board, homer style. But the Tigers have had an inability to make good on scoring opportunities and they continued that trend.

Rick Porcello gave up a solo home run to Melky Cabrera in the first inning but allowed only three hits and no runs through the next four innings. The sixth however resulted in a walk and two doubles, the second of which scored both runners on base. After seven innings he was finished having allowed six hits, three runs (all earned) and only three strikeouts.

Evan Reed replaced Porcello and promptly surrendered back-to-back singles in the eighth to give the Blue Jays another run. After allowing another single, an RBI double, and an intentional walk, Phil Coke replaced Reed with the bases loaded. A 4-6 forceout made the score 6-2 in favor of the Blue Jays but Coke ended the inning to a popout without having allowed further damage.

Corey Knebel allowed back-to-back singles in the ninth but he came within one out of getting out of a self-induced jam. But a two-run RBI double by Jose Bautista ruined a clean ninth inning.

After the home run to right field by Melky Cabrera in the first inning, Miguel Cabrera countered with a bomb of his own to left field in the bottom of the first, doing so on the first pitch he saw. It was his 11th home run and 50th RBI of the season. The home run was his 238th as a Tiger, tied him with Carlton Fisk for 71st in MLB history and moved to within one home run of tying Rudy York for seventh in franchise history.

The only other run produced by the Tigers in eight innings came off the bat of Ian Kinsler in the third inning, who hit a solo home run into the Tigers bullpen. The Tigers had two golden opportunities in the fourth and sixth innings with the bases loaded, but Ian Kinsler failed to come through with two out in both opportunities.

Eugenio Suarez was promoted from Triple-A Toledo and made his MLB debut, replacing Andrew Romine in the seventh. He reached in his first at-bat in the eighth inning on a force out and advanced to second on an E5 which put two aboard for another scoring opportunity.

But another chance to score was wasted when Rajai Davis struck out swinging to end the inning and through eight, the Tigers had left 11 men on base. Avila was the only Tigers player to reach base more than once, going 2-3 for the evening.