DETROIT (AP) _ Chris Carpenter pitched eight strong innings, and Brad Fullmer and Jose Cruz Jr. homered as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 8-1 Wednesday night.

Carpenter (6-5), who allowed at least one first-inning run in six of his previous seven starts, breezed through the first five against the Tigers.

The Tigers, who hit four homers and three doubles among their 21 hits in a 16-3 victory the previous night, had just one extra-base hit _ Damion Easley's RBI double in the eighth.

Only one Detroit baserunner advanced as far as third base during the first five innings, and that was the result of Carpenter's two-out wild pitch following a walk and a groundout in the fourth.

The Tigers loaded the bases on two singles and a walk with two outs in the sixth, but Carpenter got Brad Ausmus on a routine fly to center.

Carpenter, who was tagged for six runs on seven hits in three innings in a start against Detroit on May 28, gave up nine hits, struck out seven and walked six.

Jeff Weaver (3-6), seeking his third straight win, gave up six runs on six hits including the homers to Fullmer and Cruz in four innings. Weaver, who retired 13 of the first 14 in a 4-2 win over St. Louis on June 9, walked two and struck out four.

Carlos Delgado started Toronto's three-run second with an infield single and scored on Fullmer's ninth home run, his second of the series. One out later, Cruz _ hitless in his previous three games _ hit his 15th homer for a 3-0 lead.

Toronto took a 4-0 lead in the third as Shannon Stewart doubled, moved up on Homer Bush's bunt and scored on Raul Mondesi's sacrifice fly to center.

Alberto Castillo hit a two-run single to give Toronto a 6-0 lead in the fourth.

Delgado had an RBI double off Allen McDill for a 7-0 lead in the fifth. Marty Cardova scored when Fullmer, who had three RBIs, was hit by a pitch from C.J. Nitkowski in the ninth for Toronto's final run. ^Notes@: The start of the game was delayed 27 minutes by rain. ... Dave Mlicki, pounded for seven runs on nine hits over 1 1-3 innings Sunday in a start against St. Louis, was demoted to the bullpen. Mlicki, whose spot in the rotation was given to Willie Blair, took over to start the sixth. ... Stewart was replaced in left field in the fifth after experiencing mild discomfort in his right hamstring.