Tigers 5, Blue Jays 3: Max Scherzer won his third straight start, allowing one run in seven strong innings as host Detroit won the opener of the three-game series.

Austin Jackson had three hits and Omar Infante had a hit and two RBIs for the Tigers, who started the night two games back of the division-leading Chicago White Sox in the American League Central.

Scherzer (13-6) struck out eight to reclaim the AL lead with 186 and allowed five hits to improve to 3-0 lifetime against Toronto. Jose Valverde finished up to earn his 24th save and send the Blue Jays to their sixth loss in seven games.

Edwin Encarnacion accounted for the only run off Scherzer with his 32nd homer, a solo blast to lead off the sixth inning. He also singled and scored on a double by David Cooper off Octavio Dotel in a two-run eighth to cut the deficit to 5-3.

Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero (8-11) suffered his 10th consecutive defeat, walking a season-high eight batters and allowing five runs in five-plus innings.

Romero, who is 0-10 in his last 11 starts, walked six before getting an out in the second but managed to escape with only a 3-0 deficit before unraveling in the sixth inning.

Brad Lincoln, who relieved Romero in the sixth, left the game in the seventh when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of Young.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Tigers had the bases loaded on three occasions and failed to get a hit. ... Romero became the second pitcher in the past 20 years to walk eight without registering a strikeout. The last to do it was Colorado's Greg Reynolds in May 2008. ... Scherzer surpassed his previous career high of 184 strikeouts set in 2010. ... Blue Jays 3B Brett Lawrie (right oblique) has had his rehab shutdown because of lingering soreness. He has been on the 15-day disabled list since Aug. 4. ... Young drew his first bases-loaded walk since Aug. 9, 2011. ... Toronto called up C Yorvit Torrealba from Double-A New Hampshire and optioned Yan Gomes to Triple-A Las Vegas.