Jose Iglesias hit a tie-breaking sacrifice fly in the 10th inning and the Tigers recovered from a blown save in the ninth to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Monday, Detroit's second straight victory following a season-long 11-game losing streak.
Right-hander Joe Jimenez (4-1) got the win despite giving up the tying run in the ninth.
With his team leading 2-1 after eight innings, Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire called on Jimenez because regular closer Shane Greene (shoulder) had been placed on the 10-day disabled list before the game. Jimenez loaded the bases with two outs and walked pinch-hitter Justin Smoak on a 3-2 pitch to force in the tying run.
Niko Goodrum hit a one-out triple off Seunghwan Oh (4-3) in the 10th and scored the winning run when Iglesias followed with a fly ball to right.
After Buck Farmer gave up a leadoff single in the 10th, Blaine Hardy finished for his first career save.
Tigers right-hander Mike Fiers pitched a season-high eight innings, but didn't figure in the decision and remains winless in five starts. An efficient Fiers threw just 89 pitches, including 67 strikes. The right-hander allowed one run and three hits. He walked one and struck out five.
Nick Castellanos scored two runs and Jeimer Candelario had three hits for the Tigers, who won the season series against the Blue Jays for the first time since 2013. Detroit took four of seven from Toronto this season.
Making his second career start, Blue Jays left-hander Ryan Borucki struck out leadoff man Mikie Mahtook, then allowed four straight singles, including a run-scoring hit by Victor Martinez, who delivered his first RBI single since June 15.
Borucki recovered to retire the next 13 batters in order, a streak that ended when Maktook reached on an infield single to begin the sixth. Maktook was forced at second on Castellanos' fielder's choice and Candelario singled Castellanos to third before John Hicks delivered the tiebreaking grounder.
Borucki allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings. The Blue Jays have scored one run in Borucki's 13 big league innings so far.
For a third straight day, the roof at Rogers Centre remained closed because of high heat and humidity.
Toronto's Kendrys Morales started at first base but moved to third in the 10th, his first career appearance there.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Detroit put Greene and OF Leonys Martin (left hamstring) on the 10-day DL. The Tigers recalled Mahtook from Triple-A Toledo and activated LHP Daniel Stumpf off the DL. Martin was injured beating out a bunt single in Sunday's 9-1 win, while Greene felt sore after throwing eight pitches in a scoreless ninth inning Sunday.
Blue Jays: Toronto recalled INF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from Triple-A Buffalo. He takes the place of utilityman Darnell Sweeney, who was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo following Sunday's game.
UP NEXT
Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer (3-7, 4.20) gets the start as Detroit begins a two-game interleague series in Chicago against the Cubs. RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-8, 4.21) starts for the Cubs.
Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (4-7, 4.53) starts the opener of a two-game series against the New York Mets. RHP Zack Wheeler (2-6, 4.47) starts for the Mets.
