CLEVELAND (AP) — In the longest opening-day game in major league history, J.P. Arencibia's three-run homer in the 16th inning sent the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-4 win over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.

Arencibia was 0 for 6 with three strikeouts before connecting off Jairo Asencio.

The marathon eclipsed the previous longest openers — 15 innings between Cleveland and Detroit in 1960 and 15 innings between Philadelphia and Washington in 1926.

Luis Perez, Toronto's seventh pitcher, pitched four scoreless innings for the win and Sergio Santos got two outs to end the 5-hour, 14-minute game.

Jose Bautista homered and hit a sacrifice fly for Toronto, which rallied for three runs in the ninth off All-Star closer Chris Perez to force extra innings.

Jack Hannahan hit a three-run homer in the second to give Cleveland a 4-0 lead against Ricky Romero. But the Indians didn't score again, going 14 innings without pushing a run across and disappointing a crowd of 43,190 that thinned to just a few thousand die-hard fans by the end.

TIGERS 3, RED SOX 2

DETROIT (AP) — Austin Jackson hit a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Detroit Tigers overcame a blown save by Jose Valverde to beat the Boston Red Sox.

AL MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander was dominant for eight innings and left with a 2-0 lead. But Valverde (1-0) blew a save for the first time in 52 chances, a streak that included 49 in a row last season.

Boston manager Bobby Valentine lost in his return to the major leagues after replacing Terry Francona following the team's 7-20 September slide that cost the Red Sox a playoff spot.

With one out in the Tigers ninth, Jhonny Peralta and Alex Avila singled off Mark Melancon (0-1), and Ramon Santiago was hit by a pitch from Alfredo Aceves. Jackson followed with a sharp grounder past diving third baseman Nick Punto.

Prince Fielder singled his first time up for the AL Central champions and added a sacrifice fly. Verlander gave up two hits, walked one and struck out seven.