Renteria helps Tigers rally past Blue Jays 5-1

Detroit Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco flips the ball to Edgar Renteria at second base to get Toronto Blue Jays' Joe Inglett on a forceout in the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

DETROIT—Edgar Renteria hit a tiebreaking two-run double in Detroit's five-run eighth inning and the Tigers avoided a four-game sweep with a 5-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.

Armando Galarraga (11-4) pitched eight sharp innings for Detroit, allowing a run and six hits.

The Tigers struggled against Jesse Litsch, who tossed seven shutout innings and handed a 1-0 lead over to the Blue Jays bullpen. Litsch allowed four hits and walked two.

Jesse Carlson got the first out of the eighth before Jason Frasor walked Placido Polanco. Magglio Ordonez flied out but Polanco advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Miguel Cabrera's tying single.

Detroit loaded the bases on two more walks, one intentional, and Renteria hit a liner into left-center field to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead. Brandon Inge followed with a two-run single.

Frasor recorded just one out and was charged with five runs and two hits.

Lyle Overbay led off the fifth with his ninth homer for Toronto. Galarraga allowed two-out singles to Joe Inglett and Marco Scutaro before Alex Rios hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning.