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Miguel Cabrera Almost Hit In The Head With Fastball [VIDEO]

NOAH TRISTER, AP Baseball Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Aaron Sanchez's terrific performance earned Miguel Cabrera's praise.

Sanchez just wasn't quite able to finish the game — and in the end, Cabrera took advantage.

Cabrera hit a tying double in the ninth inning off Toronto closer Roberto Osuna, and the Detroit Tigers went on to beat the Blue Jays 3-2 on Tuesday night on Ian Kinsler's game-winning single in the 10th. Sanchez struck out a career-high 12 and took a one-hitter into the ninth, but he didn't get another out.

"That's a really tough one to lose, because Aaron was about as good as you can possibly be," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.

Cabrera certainly thought so after striking out twice against Sanchez.

"Unbelievable," Cabrera said. "Whew. Wow. Very impressed. Very impressed."

The Tigers tied it with two runs in the ninth. Kinsler's RBI double chased Sanchez, and Cabrera's double off Osuna tied it.

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The Tigers loaded the bases in the 10th with no outs against Joe Biagini (3-2), and Kinsler won it with a chopper into left field.

Justin Wilson (2-1) pitched a scoreless 10th for the win.

Kevin Pillar homered for the Blue Jays.

Justin Upton's double in the third was the only hit off Sanchez for eight innings.

"That's the best my curveball has ever been," Sanchez said. "I could throw it for a strike when I needed it, and I could put guys away with it. I threw a couple changeups early — I struck Victor (Martinez) out with one — but it was almost all fastball-curveball."

Jose Iglesias started the bottom of the ninth with a single, and Kinsler followed with a double. After Kinsler went to third on Andrew Romine's sacrifice bunt, the Blue Jays chose to pitch to Cabrera rather than intentionally walk the winning run.

Moments after hitting the dirt to avoid a pitch around his head, Cabrera drove the ball to deep right-center to make it 2-2.

Upton opened the 10th with a single, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia walked. Upton then beat the throw to third when the Blue Jays tried to get the lead runner on a bunt by Iglesias.

With the bases loaded, Kinsler came through for Detroit.

Tigers starter Matt Boyd held the Blue Jays hitless for four innings, but Pillar led off the fifth with a homer. Boyd — whom the Tigers acquired from Toronto last year in the trade that sent David Price to the Blue Jays — allowed a run and three hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked five and struck out five.

Pillar's drive to left gave the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead, and he scored their second run after hitting a seventh-inning single.

BLOOPER

Detroit reliever Bobby Parnell got himself into a ninth-inning jam thanks to a wacky play on a comebacker by Darwin Barney. Pillar was on first, and Parnell turned to try to throw him out at second, but after realizing there was no play there, the right-hander tried to hold up on his throw.

He ended up accidentally throwing the ball straight into the ground, and it bounced over toward third base.

After a wild pitch, the Blue Jays had men on second and third with no outs, but Parnell was able to escape thanks to two strikeouts and a flyout, keeping Toronto from adding to its two-run lead.

ROSTER MOVES

Blue Jays: Toronto recalled LHP/RHP Pat Venditte from Triple-A Buffalo and designated 3B Matt Dominguez for assignment.

Tigers: Detroit traded RHP Jose Valdez to the Los Angeles Angels for cash.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Shane Greene pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief, allowing a run. It was his longest appearance since being activated from the DL last week after he missed over a month because of a blister on his finger.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: Toronto sends R.A. Dickey (3-6) to the mound in the series finale Wednesday.

Tigers: Jordan Zimmermann (8-2) starts for Detroit in his second outing since returning from a groin injury.

___

Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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