TORONTO _ Justin Verlander certainly wasn't his sharpest, yielding a season-high four walks. But he pitched out of some jams after giving up two runs in the first inning.
The bullpen couldn't escape a bases loaded jam in the eighth inning, though. Alex Wilson gave up a two-run, two-out single to Troy Tulowitzki that led the Blue Jays to a 5-4 win Thursday at Rogers Centre.
Justin Wilson gave up a back-to-back singles in the eighth inning. The Tigers prevented a run from scoring to get the second out. Miguel Cabrera fielded a grounder by Michael Sanders and threw home. James McCann ran down Ezequiel Carrera. But Wilson gave up a walk to Russell Martin to load the bases.
Alex Wilson replaced Justin Wilson and gave up the two-run single to Tulowitzki.
Verlander began the night with a 22-first pitch inning as the Blue Jays took a 2-0 lead.
He allowed two runs over 52/3 innings on six hits and four walks while striking out five. Verlander had walked a total of nine batters over his previous eight starts.
Still, he got out of a few jams to give the Tigers a chance.
He faced the bases loaded with two outs in the fourth inning before Justin Smoak struck out swinging at a ball in the dirt.
A throwing error by second baseman Ian Kinsler and walk to Encarnacion put two runners on with none out in the fifth inning. But Verlander struck out Saunders and Martin, before Tulowitzki grounded out to first.
Verlander gave up a single and ground-rule double with one out in the sixth, clinging to a 3-2 lead. But Verlander fielded a bunt toward first base and threw home to get Kevin Pillar trying to score. It was a close play, but the call was upheld after a challenge by the Blue Jays.
With runners at the corners and two outs, Shane Greene replaced Verlander to face Josh Donaldson. Greene hit Donaldson with a pitch to load the bases, but Encarnacion struck out swinging at a slider.
The Blue Jays cut the Tigers' lead to 4-3 in the seventh against Greene. Saunders led off with a ground-rule double and scored on a one-out single by Tulowitzki.
A couple homers got the Tigers back in the game after trailing 2-0. Justin Upton hit his ninth home run of the season with two outs in the second inning. Upton's blast was estimated at 420 feet to center.
Nick Castellanos tied the game, 2-2, in the fourth inning with his 17th home run of the season. It was Castellanos' third home run in as many games played and his fourth home run in his sixth extra-base hit over the last six games.
Castellanos hit 15 home runs in 154 games last season. He has 17 in 82 games this season.
Asked before what he's happiest about with his first half performance, Castellanos said: "Just every aspect. I'm happy, I guess, how I'm becoming a complete baseball player the more time I spend in the big leagues. But at the same time I gotta get better in every aspect of the game. I haven't arrived. I'm not where I want to be yet."
Upton followed Castellanos with a double and scored on McCann's two-out single to right to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead. McCann was thrown out at second by Carrera.
The Tigers took a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning. McCann led off with a double and scored when Kinsler grounded into a double play.
