MLB Game Recaps: Miguel Cabrera’s Blast Leads Detroit Tigers to Victory
Miguel Cabrerahas ben solid this year, but he hasn’t quite been his MVP self. His .312 batting average and 9
home runs rank him among the game’s best, but not at the top. However, the ninth home run was an important one.
With the Tigers on the verge of missing an opportunity, Cabrera and his bat blasted the Tigers back within striking distance of .500 baseball. The Tigers were losing virtually all game. After taking an early 2-0 lead in the first, the Tigers gave it all back between the fourth and the fifth innings when the Twins took a 3-2 lead. The game remained that way until Cabrera’s at-bat in the ninth.
With one out in the ninth and Quintin Berry on second, Cabrera blasted the go-ahead, and eventual game-winning, home run off Matt Capps. The home run and the win led the Tigers to a sweep of the Twins and improved their record to 23-24.
The Tigers have struggled all season to put together the season most had predicted of them. Justin Verlander has been his usual self, Prince Fielder is playing up to his contract, and Miguel Cabrera is heating up. Yet, the Tigers have trailed the White Sox and the Indians virtually all season. Now, with Detroit pulled to within one game of .500 ball, they have a shot to get over the hump.
American League
Tampa Bay – 4
Boston – 3
Boston’s closer struggles continued as Alfredo Aceves blew another save. With the Red Sox ahead 3-2 in the ninth, Aceves gave up the go-ahead two-run home run to Tampa Bay’s Sean Rodriguez.
Kansas City – 4
Baltimore – 2
The Orioles lost the fifth game in seven contests as Kansas City scored two in the sixth to seal the victory. Jeff Francoeur had the go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning. Billy Butler also homered in the game.
Cleveland – 6
Chicago – 12
Ubaldo Jimenez‘s struggles in an Indians uniform continued yesterday. He only managed to go four innings while giving up seven hits and seven runs. Paul Konerko went 2 for 4 with 4 RBI including a two-run home run in the 4th inning.
Toronto – 6
Texas – 12
Texas’ hot-hitting continued as the offense carried a less than stellar Yu Darvish to victory. The Rangers scored seven runs in the second inning thanks in part to Adrian Beltre‘s two-run home run. Darvish went just five innings and allowed seven hits and three runs, but he came away with the victory.
New York – 2
Oakland – 0
Hiroki Kuroda went eight shut out innings and the Yankees blanked the A’s. Kuroda walked just one batter and allowed just four hits in the win. Andruw Jones got the Yankees on the board first with a home run in the second inning.
Los Angeles – 4
Seattle – 2
Kendri Morales homered and drove in two as the Angeles completed the sweep of the Mariners. C.J. Wilson pitched 6 innings of two hit ball. He walked two and allowed just one run.
National League
Colorado – 5
Cincinnati – 7
Carlos Gonzalez had two home runs for the Rockies, but it wasn’t enough. The Reds out-slugged the Rockies including a solo shot by Todd Frazier in which he couldn’t even hold onto the bat. In all, the game saw nine home runs combined between the teams.
San Diego – 0
New York – 2
For the second straight day, the Padres were shut-out by the Mets. This time, they mustered even less hits than they could against Johan Santana. R.A. Dickey was dominant in his 7 1/3 innings of work. He allowed just three hits and struck out ten.
San Francisco – 3
Miami – 2
Melky Cabrera is on fire. In his last seven games he is hitting .452 and went 4 for 4 yesterday in the Giants win. His 73 hits this season are most in the Majors. Matt Cain was solid and gave up[ just two runs – one earned – in 6 2/3 innings of work.
Chicago – 4
Pittsburgh – 10
The Pirates helped raise the Cubs’ skid to 12-straight losses. The Cubs did a lot of it themselves though including an error, five runs given up by their starter, and an additional four runs given up by their bullpen. The Pirates set a season high in runs-scored in the win.
Philadelphia – 3
St. Louis – 8
The Cardinal stayed a game and a half behind the Reds with their victory over the Phillies yesterday. Roy Halladay had to leave after just two innings due to shoulder soreness, but the Cardinals had already struck for a grand slam by Yadier Molina.
Houston – 1
Los Angeles – 5
The Dodgers improved their Major League-best record with a win over the Astros. Jerry Hairston Jr. went 5 for 5 and drove in a run in the Dodgers win. Tony Gwynn and Matt Treanor added two hits a piece as well.
Milwaukee – 3
Arizona – 4
The Diamondbacks were trailing 3-1 heading into the sixth and facing the prospect of yet another home loss. A slew of two-out RBI-singles changed that. In the bottom of the sixth, Jason Kubel, Ryan Roberts, and Henry Blanco hit two-out singles.
Washington – 7
Atlanta – 2
Bryce Harper went 2 for 4 and homered in the eighth, Adam LaRoche had two hits of his own, and the Nationals beat the Braves and Brandon Beachy. Gio Gonzalez was lights-out as he struck out 10 and allowed just one hit in seven innings of work.