TORONTO _ There were too many hits and runs allowed between the strikeouts.
Anibal Sanchez, who has been very inconsistent when he has started for the Detroit Tigers, struggled again in the final game before the MLB All-Star break.
The Tigers fell behind 5-0 early and went on to lose, 6-1, Sunday afternoon to the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
Sanchez allowed five runs on eight hits over four innings. He allowed two walks and six strikeouts.
The Tigers opened an 11-game road trip with a four-game sweep against the Tampa Bay Rays, then lost five of their next seven. They head into the All-Star break at 46-43, three games over .500.
Sanchez struck out three batters in the second inning, but started out giving up back-to-back singles to Troy Tulowitzki and Kevin Pillar, then loaded the bases with a one-out walk to Justin Smoak. After striking out Darwin Barney for the second out, Sanchez gave up a two-run single to Josh Thole, who came into the game batting .120 with one RBI this season.
Sanchez loaded the bases again in the third inning before Devon Travis popped out to second to end the threat.
With two outs in the fourth, Sanchez allowed a walk to Thole, a single to former Tiger Ezequiel Carrera and a three-run home run to Josh Donaldson. That gave the Blue Jays a five-run cushion.
The Blue Jays added another run in the eighth on an RBI single by Michael Saunders.
Sanchez has allowed 22 runs over 16.1 innings in four starts spread out since May 31. He has a 6.75 ERA over 82 2/3 total innings this season.
Sanchez signed a five-year, $80 million deal with the Tigers in December 2012. He went 14-8 and led the American League with a 2.57 ERA in 2013. He has won 23 games over the last 2 { seasons.
Canadian Dustin Molleken replaced Sanchez and allowed three hits and walk over 2 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts for the Tigers.
Mike Aviles led off the fifth with a stand-up triple when James McCann grounded out to second to score him.
Miguel Cabrera struck out with two outs and Cameron Maybin on second in the third inning. The Tigers had had runners on first and third with two outs after scoring the run in the fifth, but Cabrera flied out to right.
Cabrera finished 1-for-4 on the day and 3-for-16 (.188) in the series. Cabrera is the Tigers' lone All-Star representative.
