Galarraga wins again, Renteria homers as Tigs beat Blue Jays

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Armando Galarraga pitches during fourth inning baseball action against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto on Monday, April 21, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)

TORONTO—Rookie Armando Galarraga won his second straight start, Edgar Renteria homered and the Detroit Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 Monday. Ivan Rodriguez had four hits and Renteria scored twice for the Tigers.

Galarraga (2-0) has won back-to-back starts since being called up from Triple-A Toledo last week to replace Dontrelle Willis, sidelined by a hyperextended knee.

The 26-year-old Galarraga blanked the Blue Jays on three singles for 5 1-3 innings. He struck out four and walked four.

Galarraga, who beat Cleveland last week, lowered his ERA to 1.50. He has not allowed a hit to a right-hander in 21 at-bats since joining the Tigers.

The Blue Jays loaded the bases against Galarraga in both the third and fourth innings, but failed to score each time. Toronto finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position Monday and went 7-for-56 (.125) with runners in scoring position on this six-game homestand, winning just twice.

Tigers reliever Clay Rapada got one out in the sixth, Aquilino Lopez worked 1 1-3 innings and Denny Bautista pitched the eighth.

Gregg Zaun hit a leadoff homer in the ninth Toronto off Todd Jones. Zaun shook his head after fouling off a high, 3-2 pitch, then hit the next delivery over the right-field wall for his first home run of the season.

The Tigers gave Galarraga all the support he needed with a four-run second off Shaun Marcum (2-1). Ryan Raburn hit a two-run single, Brandon Inge followed with a sacrifice fly and Rodriguez capped the burst with an RBI single.

Renteria led off the sixth with his third homer of the season and second of this series.

Marcum lost for the first time in four starts, allowing five runs in 5 2-3 innings, his shortest outing this season. He walked a season-high four and struck out two.

Notes:@ Blue Jays OF Vernon Wells got the day off. ... Tigers DH Gary Sheffield (sore shoulder) and 2B Placido Polanco (stiff back) both sat out for the second straight game. ... Catcher Robinzon Diaz joined the Blue Jays Monday, taking the roster spot of DH Frank Thomas, who was released Sunday.