Fielder’s 3 Homers Lead Tiger Hit Parade

Cecil Fielder hit three home runs for the third time in his career and increased his major league-leading total to nine as the Detroit Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 13-8 Tuesday.

Fielder, who had five RBIs, hit a two-run drive off Erik Hanson (2-2) in the third inning as the Tigers got nine straight hits, one short of the AL record.

Fielder hit a two-run drive in the fourth off Giovanni Carrara and connected for a solo drive in the sixth off Bill Risley, increasing his RBIs total to 19. Just four of his hits this season haven’t been homers.

John Flaherty hit his first two homers of the season, solo shots off Risley in the fifth and Brian Bohanon in the ninth.

Detroit got 18 hits to back Greg Gohr (1-2), who gave up five runs and six hits in five innings. Richie Lewis got five outs for his first save. Toronto turned six double plays, one short of the major league record for a nine-inning game.

Sandy Martinez’s two-run triple put the Blue Jays ahead 2-0 in the second but Detroit scored seven in the bottom half. Flaherty singled, Chris Gomez doubled and Chad Curtis hit a two-run single that tied the score.

Bobby Higginson doubled, Travis Fryman hit a two-run double that made it 4-2 and Fielder hit a two-run homer, chasing Hanson.

Otis Nixon hit a solo homer in the fifth, his first home run since July 16, 1993. Fielder’s sixth-inning homer gave Detroit an 11-5 lead.