Major League Baseball

Lind drives in six as Jays rout Tigers

Published Apr. 7, 2009 4:14 a.m. ET

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Adam Lind homered and drove in six runs, Roy Halladay coasted with a big lead and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 12-5 Monday in an opener delayed when fans littered the field.

Umpires waved both teams off the field for nine minutes in the bottom of the eighth inning after two balls were thrown from the stands in the direction of Tigers left fielder Josh Anderson.

Groundskeepers cleared paper airplanes and empty beer cups from the warning track as the public address announcer read a message warning the crowd of 48,027 that the game could be forfeited.

Lind had four hits and set a team record for RBIs in an opener. The Blue Jays roughed up Justin Verlander (0-1), who matched a career worst by allowing eight earned runs in only 3 2-3 innings.

Rookie Travis Snider also homered, one of the Blue Jays' 15 hits.

Making his team-record seventh consecutive opening day start, Halladay (1-0) pitched seven innings. He improved to 12-2 in 16 career games against the Tigers.

Halladay didn't give up a hit until Curtis Granderson homered to start the fourth. The former Cy Young winner allowed five runs and six hits.

Verlander, who pitched a no-hitter in 2007, did little to erase the memories of his 11-17 season last year.

The Blue Jays jumped on Verlander with a four-run first, doing all their scoring with two outs. Alex Rios walked, Vernon Wells doubled and both runners scored on Lind's single. After Scott Rolen was hit by a pitch, Lyle Overbay hit a two-run double.

Toronto chased Verlander in the fourth. Snider homered, Marco Scutaro tripled and scored on Aaron Hill's sacrifice fly. A double by Rios and a walk to Wells finished Verlander, and reliever Eddie Bonine gave up Lind's home run.

Detroit closed to 9-5 with a four-run seventh. Carlos Guillen hit an RBI double and scored on Gerald Laird's single, and Brandon Inge homered.

Toronto pulled away with three runs in eighth against Juan Rincon. Scutaro scored on a bases-loaded error by shortstop Adam Everett, Lind singled home a run and Rolen hit a sacrifice fly.

Notes: The Blue Jays are 17-16 on Opening Day. ... Right-hander Matt Clement, who was sent to Triple-A after failing to win a spot in Toronto's rotation, announced his retirement Sunday. An All-Star in 2005, Clement's career was cut short by shoulder injuries. He last pitched in the major leagues with Boston in 2006. ... The Blue Jays will wear a shoulder patch this season commemorating late owner Ted Rogers, who died last December. A video tribute to Rogers was played after the third inning. ... Actor Eugene Levy attended the game. ... Verlander also allowed eight earned runs in a loss to Cleveland on Aug. 26, 2006.

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