Green's Streak Ends - Jays Win

Shawn Green's 28-game hitting streak came to an end, but he still managed to drive in a key run for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Green hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in a seven-run seventh inning as the Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 Sunday.

Although his streak was snapped, Green hit the ball hard in four of his five plate appearances.

Green, who went 0-for-4, almost extended his streak in his last at-bat when he lined a shot to the warning track. But center fielder Gabe Kapler made an over-the-shoulder catch to rob him of extra bases.

"I thought it was a double, but he turned and ran, and he was able to cover the ground and get to it," said Green, who walked off to a standing ovation. "That was just a tremendous response, I was hoping to thrill them, but maybe next time."

Green's streak was a club record and the longest in the AL this season.

Detroit starter Dave Borkowski (0-2) took a three-hit shutout into the seventh before the Blue Jays rallied from a 3-0 deficit.

Tony Fernandez, Darrin Fletcher and Jacob Brumfield led off the inning with consecutive doubles. With runners on second and third, Homer Bush hit a grounder to first baseman Tony Clark, who made a diving stop before throwing behind Borkowski at first. Fletcher scored on the infield single, and Brumfield scored on Clark's error to tie it at 3.

"That was the key play of the game," Clark said. "Unfortunately it opened up the floodgates."

After Masao Kida relieved and walked Shannon Stewart, Tony Batista reached on a bunt after Kida's late throw to third failed to get Bush. With the bases loaded, Green lined a sacrifice fly to right off C.J. Nitkowski.

"They played great defense against me, they pitched me well, but I'm just happy it happened on a day that we did win so I don't feel like I didn't contribute," Green said.

The Blue Jays took a 7-3 lead on David Segui's RBI single, Fernandez's bases loaded walk and on Darrin Fletcher's run-scoring groundout.

Pat Hentgen (7-7) allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings to win for the first time since July 4. He struck out a season-high nine and walked two.

"We just did a great job of coming back offensively with a big seventh inning," Hentgen said. "We're going to New York with a sweep, it's a beautiful thing."

Billy Koch pitched the ninth for his 21st save.

Clark, who went 3-for-4 with a homer, extended his hitting streak to a career high 19 games for the Tigers, who tied their longest losing streak of the season with their sixth straight loss. Detroit is 1-8 against the Blue Jays, and they have the worst record in the American League (42-63).

Clark's RBI double in the second, Brad Ausmus' homer in the third and Karim Garcia's homer in the sixth gave Detroit a 3-0 lead. Clark's two-run homer off Paul Quantrill in the eighth narrowed the Blue Jays' lead to 7-5.

Batista added an RBI single in the eighth.

Borkowski gave up four runs and seven hits in six-plus innings.

"When you have a three-run lead you've got to slam the door. I didn't do that," he said.

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