TORONTO _ Ian Kinsler hit his 16th solo home run of the season and was part of the first triple play turned by the Tigers since 2001.
Nick Castellanos hit a grand slam and did well defensively in his first major league game playing right field. The Tigers went on to beat the Blue Jays, 5-4, Friday night at Rogers Centre.
Castellanos hit his third career grand slam and 21st home run of the season to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead in the third inning.
Kinsler added his home run off Danny Barnes in the seventh. Kinsler joined Kal Daniels of the Reds (1987) as the only players since 1969 to begin a season with 16 solo home runs, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Third baseman Jeimer Candelario started a 5-4-3 triple play in the sixth inning. Candelario quickly snagged a grounder hit by Kevin Pillar, then stepped on third. Candelario then fired to Kinsler, who relayed to first baseman Efren Navarro.
According to the Society of American Baseball Research's Triple Plays Database, it was the Tigers' 34th triple play in club history.
Castellanos handled with ease the first two balls hit to him in his first start in right field. Pillar flied out to right with two outs in the first inning and Justin Smoak flied out to right with a runner on second and two out in the third.
Dixon Machado hit a two-out double in the third. Kinsler followed with a single and Candelario drew a walk to load the bases for Castellanos.
Right-hander Marcus Stroman allowed four runs on six hits over six innings for the Jays. He walked one and struck out six.
Righty Buck Farmer allowed two run (one earned) on five hits over five-plus innings for the Tigers. He walked two and struck out three.
Richard Urena, the Blue Jays' No. 9 hitter, hit a two-out single to left and scored on a bloop double to center by Teoscar Hernandez in the fifth inning. Hernandez entered the game in the second inning for Steve Pearce, who left with lower back stiffness. Tigers centerfielder Mikie Mahtook tried to make a diving grab on the ball hit by Hernandez, but the ball deflected away.
A passed ball by James McCann led to the Jays' second run.
The Blue Jays cut the deficit to 5-4 in the eighth inning after Alex Wilson gave up solo home runs to Urena and Jose Bautista.
Shane Greene gave up a two-out walk in the ninth to Michael Saunders, but pinch-hitter Miguel Montero struck out swinging to end the game.
