(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- "I wasn't looking for it," Justin Upton said, "but I saw it."
The Detroit Tigers left fielder was looking fastball on a 1-2 pitch from Chicago White Sox right-hander David Robertson with two on and one out Sunday in the bottom of the ninth.
But what Upton got was a slow, fairly flat curveball that he waited on and swatted into the left field seats to give the Tigers a 7-4 victory over Chicago, Detroit's fourth win in a row and the fifth straight loss for the White Sox.
"I felt like if Justin Wilson could get through the top part of the inning," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said, "we had 2-3-4 coming up, and we felt pretty good with those guys."
Robertson (3-2), who got the last out of the eighth, hit Nick Castellanos with a 2-2 pitch to begin ninth with the score tied at 4. He got Miguel Cabrera to hit a roller to second, but Yolmer Sanchez bobbled the potential double-play grounder and had to settle for the out at first.
J.D. Martinez was walked intentionally before Robertson served up Upton's 11th home run this season and fifth walk-off blast of his career.
Detroit completed its first series sweep of the season.
"We didn't play a really clean game of baseball," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. "We had a couple plays that got away from us. We kept battling. All in all, I thought the guys were a little tired. Nonetheless, that's not an excuse for some of the mistakes that we made."
Justin Wilson (2-1) gained the victory after throwing a scoreless ninth. He gave a leadoff walk plus a single before wriggling out of the jam via a popup and a double play.
The White Sox tied the score 4-4 with three doubles off Tigers reliever Alex Wilson in the eighth. Todd Frazier hit the first double, and Tim Anderson and Devan Smith followed with run-scoring two-base hits. Pinch hitter Leury Garcia singled to center off reliever Daniel Stumpf to move Smith to third, but Tigers reliever Shane Greene entered and ended the inning by getting a strikeout and a forceout.
Upton led off a three-run Tigers sixth with a single, chasing reliever Anthony Swarzak. Upton scooted to third when Chris Beck made a wild pickoff attempt. John Hicks doubled to center to create a 2-2 tie and then stole third -- after pinch hitter Victor Martinez was walked intentionally -- when third baseman Frazier went in too far on a failed bunt attempt by pinch hitter Alex Presley.
Presley got Hicks in with an RBI grounder to second that Sanchez missed for an error. Jose Iglesias made it 4-2 when he grounded into a forceout to score pinch runner Andrew Romine from third, which he reached on the error by Sanchez.
"They're playing through it," Renteria said. "Some of our actions were a little slow. They're not trying to make mistakes. They're not trying to boot balls, they're not trying to get picked off, all those things, they're not trying to not miss executing on bunts.
"But it's something we really have to learn from. Because clubs that want to have success have to play clean baseball. We talked about it. Everybody has a chance to win a ballgame on a daily basis."
Reliever Warwick Saupold was big for Detroit for a second straight appearance, keeping a deficit at 2-0. He relieved starter Justin Verlander, taken out due to a right groin strain with two on and no outs in the third. Saupold pitched four scoreless innings.
"He was huge again for the second time in a row," Ausmus said. "He did it in Kansas City and he did it here -- giving us multiple innings, getting us deep in the game, keeping it close. He's been outstanding in that role."
Detroit cut the deficit to 2-1 when J.D. Martinez belted his 10th home run of the season with one out in the fourth off White Sox starter David Holmberg.
Chicago got a one-out double plus a two-out single by Avisail Garcia to take a 1-0 lead in the first but left the bases loaded in both of the first two innings.
Frazier touched Verlander for his eighth home run to lead off the third. After a subsequent four-pitch walk, Verlander was removed from the game.
Verlander struck out the first batter he faced to make it 327 straight starts in which he has had at least one, eighth longest such streak since at least 1913. He walked three, struck out three and gave up two runs on six hits.
NOTES: Detroit C James McCann (right hand cut) and 2B Ian Kinsler (left hamstring) are on track to be activated off the disabled list on Tuesday. ... Chicago RHP James Shields allowed three runs (one earned) in four innings during his first rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Charlotte. ... Tigers DH Victor Martinez has been dealing with a sore left elbow that bothers him most batting right-handed, so manager Brad Ausmus kept him out of the starting lineup against White Sox LHP David Holmberg. ... The White Sox announced midgame that RHP Carlos Rodon (left biceps bursitis) would begin a rehab assignment Tuesday.
Monday, June 5, 2017
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Schwarber slam carries Cubs past Cardinals
(TSX / STATS) -- CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon called up Kyle Schwarber on Friday night to let him know he was planning to bat the struggling outfielder ninth on Saturday afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Schwarber accepted the decision -- and then he did something about it. Schwarber hit his first career grand slam to put the Cubs ahead in a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals.
Schwarber homered on the first pitch after Mike Leake allowed two singles and hit a batter to load the bases in the seventh inning.
Entering the game with a .163 batting average, Schwarber was hitting at the bottom of the lineup after the Cubs tried him at seventh Friday.
"It's nice to come up in that spot and be able to help out," Schwarber said. "It's kind of a sigh of relief. I want to go up there and help my team. For me to do that was great."
Maddon said he moved Schwarber to the ninth spot because he disliked the results of Schwarber batting seventh on Friday, when he went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts. Schwarber struggled in the leadoff role earlier this season.
"I'm like,' hey, at least I'm playing,'" Schwarber joked about his reaction to Maddon telling him he'd bat ninth. "I didn't say anything. He told me his reason, and I was like, all right. I'm going with it.
"Whatever the skipper does, I'm going to follow it. We've got his back, he's got our back. It's all a process. It worked out today."
Schwarber credited the support of his team. His four RBIs tied a career high, and he leads the Cubs with six game-winning RBIs this season.
"That was a big swing for him personally, obviously for the team," starting pitcher Jon Lester said about Schwarber. "Hopefully, this is signs of good things to come. You've seen his at-bats probably the last four or five days. I feel like his at-bats have gotten good, he's seeing pitches. He's back to being Schwarbs."
Javier Baez also homered for the Cubs, who have won two straight after losing six in a row.
Wade Davis posted his 12th save and Hector Rondon (1-1) notched the win.
Leake (5-4), who was leading the National League with a 2.24 ERA, gave up all but one of his five runs in the seventh inning. He exited after issuing a walk following Schwarber's ninth home run of the season.
"He had a five-pitch inning the inning before," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said about sticking with Leake to pitch against Schwarber. "He looked good. We made a decision to let him get that last out and it didn't work.
"The fact that he's been one of the best pitchers in the league, down a couple guys in the bullpen who can potentially come into that spot and felt Mike was going to give us our best chance."
"It was slightly elevated and slightly on the plate a little too much for him," Leake said about the pitch to Schwarber.
The Cubs rallied after Lester gave up three runs and six hits in six innings, raising his ERA to 3.91.
Lester was coming off a rough outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he allowed a season-high six runs in 3 1/3 innings. Entering Saturday, Lester owned a 1.80 ERA at home compared with a 7.11 road ERA.
Yadier Molina extended the Cardinals' lead to 3-1 with his sixth home run, a full-count, two-out solo shot in the sixth inning. Lester has allowed three home runs in his last two starts.
The Cardinals went ahead on Jose Martinez's two-run single after Lester loaded the bases with no outs on a walk, a bunt single and another walk in the first inning.
"It was nice to get a couple in the first and put pressure on," Matheny said. "Second, we get in a good position to add on and keep momentum going in a positive direction and unfortunately weren't able to keep that going right."
Baez's ninth home run -- a solo shot -- cut the lead in half in the third.
Lester, known for his troubles throwing to first base, picked Tommy Pham off first in the fifth inning.
NOTES: Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he had LF Kyle Schwarber bat ninth Saturday because the Cardinals took advantage of the eighth hitter and the pitcher being behind him Friday. Batting ninth, Schwarber is similar to another leadoff batter and gives him possibly one fewer at-bat, Maddon said. ... SS Addison Russell was out of the Cubs' starting lineup, but he pinch hit. He's batting .211. ... The Cardinals went with a right-handed lineup against LHP Jon Lester. OF Magneuris Sierra, who was called up from Double-A Springfield on Friday, was on the bench. ... INF Matt Carpenter was out of the Cardinals' starting lineup. He's hitting .216.
Tigers tee off in rout of White Sox
(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Jordan Zimmermann slid back to success with a reworked slider.
The veteran right-hander, backed by four home runs, wasn't dominant, but he was effective through six solid innings of the Detroit Tigers' 10-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.
Zimmermann (5-4) had been allowing 1.5 to 2.0 baserunners per inning in most of his starts this year. While he gave up seven hits and two walks in six innings Saturday, he escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth.
"I thought Zimmermann did a nice job of making adjustments from his last outing against us," said White Sox manager Rick Renteria, whose team accumulated seven runs and eight hits, including three home runs, against Zimmermann last Sunday. "We made him work a little bit, but we weren't just able to string anything together."
"His slider was better, noticeably I think," said Detroit bench coach Gene Lamont, who took over as manager when Brad Ausmus was ejected in the second inning for arguing after a challenge was denied because it took too long. "His control was better. When you throw a good slider instead of a hanging slider, it's a big difference."
Zimmermann said, "It was the pitch I had at the start of last season. But then when I got hurt, it seemed to get away from me. I definitely had a different grip. So after my last start, in the bullpen, I got my old grip back. It felt more and more normal."
Alex Avila, Justin Upton, Nick Castellanos and Alex Presley each hit home runs as Detroit won for the third game in a row.
Zimmermann gave up seven hits plus two walks in six innings and got four of his five strikeouts on sliders.
Chicago scored its only run in the sixth on an RBI double to left by Todd Frazier.
Newly recalled Daniel Stumpf faced his first two batters for Detroit and got one of them out in the seventh before being relieved by Shane Greene, who got five outs. Arcenio Leon worked the ninth.
Miguel Gonzalez (4-6), who retired the first 18 Tigers he faced in his previous start, saw his no-hit aspirations gone one batter into the game. He was roughed up for 10 hits, including three home runs. Gonzalez didn't walk a batter but only had one strikeout in his innings.
"This was one of those days when we actually thought Gonzie would be able to change the tide a little bit, shut them down," Renteria said. "He had a rough fourth, four-run fourth where they ended up tagging a couple balls.
"But he kept pitching, kept trying to work his way out of it, was able to give us six innings."
Avila exceeded his home run total of last year with the White Sox when he belted his eighth of the season, an opposite-field shot to left in the fourth. The blast brought in Andrew Romine and finished a four-run inning that gave the Tigers a 6-0 lead.
Romine had singled in Jose Iglesias, who had singled in Presley after the center fielder singled with two outs and stole second.
Castellanos hit his fifth home run, to left center, with one out in the second to break a scoreless tie. Presley followed with his first homer, a shot deep to right.
Upton collected his 10th home run, a drive to left as the first batter faced in the eighth by White Sox right-hander Brad Goldberg in his major league debut. Goldberg also gave up a two-run double to Iglesias before retiring his first batter.
Goldberg was relieved by Gregory Infante, who gave up an RBI single to pinch-hitter Dixon Machado.
"Goldy got his first outing out there," Renteria said. "It wasn't as good as he would have wanted, I'm sure. He started getting a little deeper into his pitch count, which is kind of what prompted us to help him out a little bit."
Ausmus was ejected with two outs and two on in the first inning after objecting to the fact his attempt at challenging an 'out' call at first base was deemed too late. Video also showed Ausmus wiping some of his spit off an umpire's shoulder during his arguing.
NOTES: The White Sox placed RHP Michael Ynoa (right hip flexor strain) on the 10-day disabled list and brought up RHP Brad Goldberg from Triple-A Charlotte. ... Detroit brought LHP Daniel Stumpf up from Triple-A Toledo after optioning LHP Matt Boyd to the Mud Hens. ... The 12 extra-base hits Detroit drummed out against Chicago on Friday night were the most ever in a nine-inning home game by the Tigers.
Saturday, June 3, 2017
Cubs down Cardinals to end six-game skid
(TSX / STATS) -- CHICAGO -- The outcome was certainly a relief for the Chicago Cubs and not necessarily because they won on Friday.
The Cubs did a lot of things right in a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals that snapped a six-game losing streak.
"Up and down I thought we battled extremely well," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We haven't been playing badly, we just have not been hitting. And you can't say we killed it today offensively, (but) we pitched well enough and caught the ball on defense."
Jason Heyward's eighth-inning sacrifice fly drove in Anthony Rizzo to snap a 2-2 tie in the weekend series opener at Wrigley Field.
Reliever Pedro Strop (1-2) got the win after a one-third inning appearance in relief for the Cubs (26-27).
Reliever Trevor Rosenthal (1-2) took the loss for the Cardinals (26-26) after his one-inning effort.
Chicago reliever Wade Davis worked a one-two-three ninth inning for his 11th save.
Rizzo doubled off Rosenthal to lead off the eighth, advanced to third on Ben Zobrist's fielder's choice grounder and scored the go-ahead run on Heyward's sacrifice to center.
Ex-Cub Dexter Fowler, who received his 2016 World Series ring in a pregame ceremony, gave the Cardinals an instant 1-0 lead when he led off and homered to right on a 3-2 pitch.
It was the fifth first-inning homer that Cubs starter John Lackey has allowed this season.
"I know John and John knows me," Fowler said. "He's going to come after me from the beginning so it was a matter of getting a good pitch to hit."
St. Louis made it 2-0 in the second as Magneuris Sierra, fresh up from Double-A Springfield, singled home Aledmys Diaz from second with one out.
The Cubs cut the deficit to 2-1 on Kris Bryant's third-inning homer with two out. Bryant's 12th homer, which tied him for the team lead with Rizzo, came on Lance Lynn's 3-2 pitch.
Lynn departed with one out in the sixth and Cubs runners on first and second.
Heyward greeted left-handed reliever Tyler Lyons with a drive to the right field warning track that outfielder Stephen Piscotty appeared to lose in the sun. The ball dropped and Heyward drove in Rizzo while reaching second to tie the game at 2-2.
"That was a tough sun ball with Stephen," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.
Lyons issued an intentional walk to Willson Contreras to load the bases and promptly departed for right-hander Matt Bowman to face Cubs pinch hitter Jon Jay, who grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Lynn was charged with two runs on four hits. He walked four and struck out six and threw 103 pitches.
"He was good," Matheny said. "Just pitch count was a little high than what we've been watching, and deeper counts. It seemed like he was trying to fight back when we got behind and that hurt him. But overall I thought he did a nice job. He's been great all year."
Lackey, who received a no-decision, departed after seven innings. He allowed two runs on four hits, struck out six and walked two while throwing 99 pitches.
"Sometimes it takes you a second to figure what's what and try to get your feet underneath you," Lackey said. "Things got a little better after that first inning or two."
Right-handed reliever Carl Edwards Jr. walked the bases loaded and was replaced by Strop with two out in the eighth.
Strop, making his 23rd appearance of the season, struck out Yadier Molina to end the threat.
NOTES: The Cardinals began a seven-day road swing with National League Central foes with three games in Chicago followed by four in Cincinnati. ... St. Louis recalled OF Magneuris Sierra from Double-A Springfield on Friday for his second big league appearance. ... 3B Jedd Gyorko was placed on paternity leave on Thursday as his wife gave birth this week to their third child, a girl named Brooklyn Ellee. ... The Cardinals send RHP Mike Leake (6-3, 2.24 ERA) against Cubs LHP Jon Lester (3-3, 3.86 ERA) in Saturday's middle game. ... Chicago's recent 0-6 road trip against Los Angeles and San Diego was its first winless trip since Aug. 3-8, 2012, also against the Dodgers and Padres. ... Friday's game was the start of 10 straight games at Wrigley Field where the Cubs are 15-11. ... Cubs batters have been hit by a pitcher a majors-leading 31 times and 1B Anthony Rizzo tops the big leagues with 12. ... Rizzo took advantage of Thursday's off-day to ask his girlfriend Emily Vakos to marry him. She said yes, but a date has not been set.
The Cubs did a lot of things right in a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals that snapped a six-game losing streak.
"Up and down I thought we battled extremely well," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We haven't been playing badly, we just have not been hitting. And you can't say we killed it today offensively, (but) we pitched well enough and caught the ball on defense."
Jason Heyward's eighth-inning sacrifice fly drove in Anthony Rizzo to snap a 2-2 tie in the weekend series opener at Wrigley Field.
Reliever Pedro Strop (1-2) got the win after a one-third inning appearance in relief for the Cubs (26-27).
Reliever Trevor Rosenthal (1-2) took the loss for the Cardinals (26-26) after his one-inning effort.
Chicago reliever Wade Davis worked a one-two-three ninth inning for his 11th save.
Rizzo doubled off Rosenthal to lead off the eighth, advanced to third on Ben Zobrist's fielder's choice grounder and scored the go-ahead run on Heyward's sacrifice to center.
Ex-Cub Dexter Fowler, who received his 2016 World Series ring in a pregame ceremony, gave the Cardinals an instant 1-0 lead when he led off and homered to right on a 3-2 pitch.
It was the fifth first-inning homer that Cubs starter John Lackey has allowed this season.
"I know John and John knows me," Fowler said. "He's going to come after me from the beginning so it was a matter of getting a good pitch to hit."
St. Louis made it 2-0 in the second as Magneuris Sierra, fresh up from Double-A Springfield, singled home Aledmys Diaz from second with one out.
The Cubs cut the deficit to 2-1 on Kris Bryant's third-inning homer with two out. Bryant's 12th homer, which tied him for the team lead with Rizzo, came on Lance Lynn's 3-2 pitch.
Lynn departed with one out in the sixth and Cubs runners on first and second.
Heyward greeted left-handed reliever Tyler Lyons with a drive to the right field warning track that outfielder Stephen Piscotty appeared to lose in the sun. The ball dropped and Heyward drove in Rizzo while reaching second to tie the game at 2-2.
"That was a tough sun ball with Stephen," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.
Lyons issued an intentional walk to Willson Contreras to load the bases and promptly departed for right-hander Matt Bowman to face Cubs pinch hitter Jon Jay, who grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Lynn was charged with two runs on four hits. He walked four and struck out six and threw 103 pitches.
"He was good," Matheny said. "Just pitch count was a little high than what we've been watching, and deeper counts. It seemed like he was trying to fight back when we got behind and that hurt him. But overall I thought he did a nice job. He's been great all year."
Lackey, who received a no-decision, departed after seven innings. He allowed two runs on four hits, struck out six and walked two while throwing 99 pitches.
"Sometimes it takes you a second to figure what's what and try to get your feet underneath you," Lackey said. "Things got a little better after that first inning or two."
Right-handed reliever Carl Edwards Jr. walked the bases loaded and was replaced by Strop with two out in the eighth.
Strop, making his 23rd appearance of the season, struck out Yadier Molina to end the threat.
NOTES: The Cardinals began a seven-day road swing with National League Central foes with three games in Chicago followed by four in Cincinnati. ... St. Louis recalled OF Magneuris Sierra from Double-A Springfield on Friday for his second big league appearance. ... 3B Jedd Gyorko was placed on paternity leave on Thursday as his wife gave birth this week to their third child, a girl named Brooklyn Ellee. ... The Cardinals send RHP Mike Leake (6-3, 2.24 ERA) against Cubs LHP Jon Lester (3-3, 3.86 ERA) in Saturday's middle game. ... Chicago's recent 0-6 road trip against Los Angeles and San Diego was its first winless trip since Aug. 3-8, 2012, also against the Dodgers and Padres. ... Friday's game was the start of 10 straight games at Wrigley Field where the Cubs are 15-11. ... Cubs batters have been hit by a pitcher a majors-leading 31 times and 1B Anthony Rizzo tops the big leagues with 12. ... Rizzo took advantage of Thursday's off-day to ask his girlfriend Emily Vakos to marry him. She said yes, but a date has not been set.
Tigers pound White Sox: Cabrera reaches 1,000 hits
(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera has reached another milepost on a baseball journey that seems destined to lead him to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Cabrera drove in four runs Friday night on his way to becoming just the 39th player in major league history to amass 1,000 extra base hits while Mikie Mahtook, J.D. Martinez and John Hicks hit home runs to power the Detroit Tigers to a 15-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Cabrera entered the game hitting .260 with five home runs and 22 RBIs in two months' worth of games, substandard by his norms.
"Right now, I don't think there's anything wrong with Miggy," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said pregame. "I feel like we've talked about Miggy in this vein every year I've been here. And every year he seems to end up hitting."
The slugging first baseman, 34, misjudged his own speed, however, as he ran threw a stop sign thrown up by third base coach Dave Clark and was thrown out at home plate trying to score on a hit for the second time in less than two weeks.
Three other active players have 1,000 or more extra base hits -- Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre and Albert Pujols. Cabrera has 532 doubles and 451 home runs plus 17 triples for his total of 1,000.
Michael Fulmer (6-3) survived a wobbly three-run fifth as he broke a two-game slide in which Detroit was shut out in both starts. Fulmer allowed seven hits, one walk and struck out five in seven innings. Arcenio Leon worked the eighth and Blaine Hardy the ninth for the Tigers.
"His stuff was a good as we've seen all year," Ausmus said of Fulmer. "Statistically, this outing was probably one of his weakest. But his stuff was as good as I've seen it all year."
Leury Garcia touched Fulmer for an RBI single in the third, by which time Detroit had scored five times, and another while Chicago was scoring its three runs on three hits in the fifth. Tim Anderson had an RBI single and Melky Cabrera a sacrifice fly in the inning, which began with the Tigers holding a 10-1 lead.
Garcia drove in a third run when he grounded out to first in the seventh with runners on first and third for the White Sox, making it 14-5.
"He's been really tough on us actually," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said of Fulmer. "Even at (Chicago), he was able to go almost nine and we didn't do very much. Then we were able to get him a little late.
"He's got some good stuff. His ball had a lot of action, a lot of life."
Cabrera had an RBI double off Derek Holland (4-5) in the first, scoring on a J.D. Martinez double, and a two-run double that capped a three-run second. Mahtook hit his third home run, a solo shot, with one out in the inning, and had an RBI double in the eighth.
Miguel Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly to right while the Tigers scored five runs in the third. J.D. Martinez hit his ninth home run leading off, Hicks hit a two-run blast down the left field line two batters later, his third home run, and Dixon Machado had an RBI triple.
Martinez fell a single short of the cycle after leading off the sixth with a triple off the wall in extreme right field.
Machado had a two-run double in sixth after Justin Upton ripped an RBI double down the left-field line. Nick Castellanos had an RBI double in the fifth for Detroit.
Holland allowed eight runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. He gave up three home runs and three doubles.
"One of his truly rare (bad) outings," Renteria said. "It happens every now and then. It was just one of those days.
"It seemed like everything he threw up there, they were able to put a good swing on. He wasn't able to stop it. Just one of those days for him. I look at it as an anomaly."
NOTES: Chicago RHP Jake Petricka, out of action since April 5 with a right lat strain, was scheduled to begin a rehab stint with Triple-A Charlotte. He'll be followed Saturday by RHP James Shields, out since April 21 with the same ailment. ... Detroit RHP Armando Gallaraga retired the first 26 batters he faced on June 2, 2010, only to see first-base umpire Jim Joyce muff the call on the potential 27th out. ... The Tigers have the edge over the White Sox in every series at Comerica Park since 2010. ... First-base umpire C.B. Bucknor suffered an apparent leg injury in the bottom of the second inning and was out of the game about 10 minutes before returning. Manny Gonzalez replaced him at first as part of a three-man crew until Bucknor was able to return. ... White Sox RHP Michael Ynoa faced two batters in the third inning but had to come out with a right quad strain. Detroit DH Victor Martinez departed with the flu after four innings.
Cabrera drove in four runs Friday night on his way to becoming just the 39th player in major league history to amass 1,000 extra base hits while Mikie Mahtook, J.D. Martinez and John Hicks hit home runs to power the Detroit Tigers to a 15-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Cabrera entered the game hitting .260 with five home runs and 22 RBIs in two months' worth of games, substandard by his norms.
"Right now, I don't think there's anything wrong with Miggy," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said pregame. "I feel like we've talked about Miggy in this vein every year I've been here. And every year he seems to end up hitting."
The slugging first baseman, 34, misjudged his own speed, however, as he ran threw a stop sign thrown up by third base coach Dave Clark and was thrown out at home plate trying to score on a hit for the second time in less than two weeks.
Three other active players have 1,000 or more extra base hits -- Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre and Albert Pujols. Cabrera has 532 doubles and 451 home runs plus 17 triples for his total of 1,000.
Michael Fulmer (6-3) survived a wobbly three-run fifth as he broke a two-game slide in which Detroit was shut out in both starts. Fulmer allowed seven hits, one walk and struck out five in seven innings. Arcenio Leon worked the eighth and Blaine Hardy the ninth for the Tigers.
"His stuff was a good as we've seen all year," Ausmus said of Fulmer. "Statistically, this outing was probably one of his weakest. But his stuff was as good as I've seen it all year."
Leury Garcia touched Fulmer for an RBI single in the third, by which time Detroit had scored five times, and another while Chicago was scoring its three runs on three hits in the fifth. Tim Anderson had an RBI single and Melky Cabrera a sacrifice fly in the inning, which began with the Tigers holding a 10-1 lead.
Garcia drove in a third run when he grounded out to first in the seventh with runners on first and third for the White Sox, making it 14-5.
"He's been really tough on us actually," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said of Fulmer. "Even at (Chicago), he was able to go almost nine and we didn't do very much. Then we were able to get him a little late.
"He's got some good stuff. His ball had a lot of action, a lot of life."
Cabrera had an RBI double off Derek Holland (4-5) in the first, scoring on a J.D. Martinez double, and a two-run double that capped a three-run second. Mahtook hit his third home run, a solo shot, with one out in the inning, and had an RBI double in the eighth.
Miguel Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly to right while the Tigers scored five runs in the third. J.D. Martinez hit his ninth home run leading off, Hicks hit a two-run blast down the left field line two batters later, his third home run, and Dixon Machado had an RBI triple.
Martinez fell a single short of the cycle after leading off the sixth with a triple off the wall in extreme right field.
Machado had a two-run double in sixth after Justin Upton ripped an RBI double down the left-field line. Nick Castellanos had an RBI double in the fifth for Detroit.
Holland allowed eight runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. He gave up three home runs and three doubles.
"One of his truly rare (bad) outings," Renteria said. "It happens every now and then. It was just one of those days.
"It seemed like everything he threw up there, they were able to put a good swing on. He wasn't able to stop it. Just one of those days for him. I look at it as an anomaly."
NOTES: Chicago RHP Jake Petricka, out of action since April 5 with a right lat strain, was scheduled to begin a rehab stint with Triple-A Charlotte. He'll be followed Saturday by RHP James Shields, out since April 21 with the same ailment. ... Detroit RHP Armando Gallaraga retired the first 26 batters he faced on June 2, 2010, only to see first-base umpire Jim Joyce muff the call on the potential 27th out. ... The Tigers have the edge over the White Sox in every series at Comerica Park since 2010. ... First-base umpire C.B. Bucknor suffered an apparent leg injury in the bottom of the second inning and was out of the game about 10 minutes before returning. Manny Gonzalez replaced him at first as part of a three-man crew until Bucknor was able to return. ... White Sox RHP Michael Ynoa faced two batters in the third inning but had to come out with a right quad strain. Detroit DH Victor Martinez departed with the flu after four innings.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Sandoval, Pomeranz spur Red Sox to victory over White Sox
(TSX / STATS) -- CHICAGO -- Boston Red Sox designated hitter Pablo Sandoval resisted the urge to swing for the fences in his first game back from the disabled list after missing more than a month.
Instead, the portly slugger focused simply on making contact. The approach worked to perfection as Sandoval finished 3-for-4 and drove in the go-ahead run in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.
All three of Sandoval's hits went to the opposite field.
"His first night back, he chips in," Boston manager John Farrell said. "To see him come back and swing the bat with some aggressiveness, he gives us a boost."
Christian Vazquez added a double and two RBIs as the Red Sox took the rubber match of the series. Boston (29-23) won for the eighth time in its past 10 games.
Red Sox left-hander Drew Pomeranz (5-3) picked up his second win in a row and the 30th victory of his career. He limited the White Sox to one run and seven hits in seven innings. He walked none and struck out eight.
"Any time we're getting starters that are walking out for the seventh inning, we're not overusing the bullpen," Farrell said. "He certainly has the ability. He's showing that right now.
"This is a right-handed-hitting team that had very good success against left-handers, and he went out and pitched a whale of a game tonight."
Tim Anderson went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Chicago (24-28), which dropped its second straight game.
"We weren't able to put together anything more against Pomeranz," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He kept elevating that fastball and dropping in that breaking ball."
In his past three starts, Pomeranz has issued three walks while striking out 25.
"I feel pretty good with four pitches out there," Pomeranz said. "I worked all week on just repeating what I did the start before. ... When you're making pitches and you're pitching to the corners in the zone, that's what it's all about."
White Sox right-hander Anthony Swarzak (2-1) drew the loss after surrendering four runs and four hits in one inning. He had allowed three earned runs in the previous 23 1/3 innings.
Swarzak's meltdown spoiled a strong outing by right-hander Mike Pelfrey, who allowed two hits in five scoreless innings.
Renteria said White Sox coaches planned to limit Pelfrey to five innings. He threw 83 pitches before yielding to Swarzak in the sixth.
"I feel good about where I'm at," Pelfrey said. "I feel good about my off-speed pitches, I think they're probably better than they've ever been. But as I said, I've thrown a lot more than I ever have. I just want to get a little deeper into games and I've got to find a way to be a little more efficient to be able to do that. That's my next goal."
The White Sox opened the scoring in the second. Avisail Garcia singled, stole second and advanced to third base on a throwing error by Vazquez. Garcia scored moments later when Anderson doubled off the wall in left-center field.
Boston broke out with four runs in the sixth. With the bases loaded and one out, Josh Rutledge drove in a run on a groundout. Sandoval followed with a bloop single to left field that made it 2-1. Vazquez capped the rally with a two-run double to deep center.
Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth for his 15th save.
"Nothing is ever given or automatic, but he's pretty darn close right now," Farrell said of Kimbrel.
NOTES: Boston 3B/DH Pablo Sandoval served as designated hitter in his first game since spraining his right knee while fielding a line drive April 23. Red Sox manager John Farrell indicated Sandoval could return to the field soon. ... White Sox broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrelson announced that 2018 will be his final season in the booth. Harrelson, 75, spent nine seasons in the majors and started his broadcast career in 1975 with the Red Sox before moving to the White Sox in 1982. ... Boston RHP Carson Smith is scheduled to face hitters next week for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2016. ... White Sox LHP Carlos Rodon is expected to pitch five innings in a simulated game Thursday as he recovers from a left biceps injury.
Instead, the portly slugger focused simply on making contact. The approach worked to perfection as Sandoval finished 3-for-4 and drove in the go-ahead run in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.
All three of Sandoval's hits went to the opposite field.
"His first night back, he chips in," Boston manager John Farrell said. "To see him come back and swing the bat with some aggressiveness, he gives us a boost."
Christian Vazquez added a double and two RBIs as the Red Sox took the rubber match of the series. Boston (29-23) won for the eighth time in its past 10 games.
Red Sox left-hander Drew Pomeranz (5-3) picked up his second win in a row and the 30th victory of his career. He limited the White Sox to one run and seven hits in seven innings. He walked none and struck out eight.
"Any time we're getting starters that are walking out for the seventh inning, we're not overusing the bullpen," Farrell said. "He certainly has the ability. He's showing that right now.
"This is a right-handed-hitting team that had very good success against left-handers, and he went out and pitched a whale of a game tonight."
Tim Anderson went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Chicago (24-28), which dropped its second straight game.
"We weren't able to put together anything more against Pomeranz," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He kept elevating that fastball and dropping in that breaking ball."
In his past three starts, Pomeranz has issued three walks while striking out 25.
"I feel pretty good with four pitches out there," Pomeranz said. "I worked all week on just repeating what I did the start before. ... When you're making pitches and you're pitching to the corners in the zone, that's what it's all about."
White Sox right-hander Anthony Swarzak (2-1) drew the loss after surrendering four runs and four hits in one inning. He had allowed three earned runs in the previous 23 1/3 innings.
Swarzak's meltdown spoiled a strong outing by right-hander Mike Pelfrey, who allowed two hits in five scoreless innings.
Renteria said White Sox coaches planned to limit Pelfrey to five innings. He threw 83 pitches before yielding to Swarzak in the sixth.
"I feel good about where I'm at," Pelfrey said. "I feel good about my off-speed pitches, I think they're probably better than they've ever been. But as I said, I've thrown a lot more than I ever have. I just want to get a little deeper into games and I've got to find a way to be a little more efficient to be able to do that. That's my next goal."
The White Sox opened the scoring in the second. Avisail Garcia singled, stole second and advanced to third base on a throwing error by Vazquez. Garcia scored moments later when Anderson doubled off the wall in left-center field.
Boston broke out with four runs in the sixth. With the bases loaded and one out, Josh Rutledge drove in a run on a groundout. Sandoval followed with a bloop single to left field that made it 2-1. Vazquez capped the rally with a two-run double to deep center.
Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth for his 15th save.
"Nothing is ever given or automatic, but he's pretty darn close right now," Farrell said of Kimbrel.
NOTES: Boston 3B/DH Pablo Sandoval served as designated hitter in his first game since spraining his right knee while fielding a line drive April 23. Red Sox manager John Farrell indicated Sandoval could return to the field soon. ... White Sox broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrelson announced that 2018 will be his final season in the booth. Harrelson, 75, spent nine seasons in the majors and started his broadcast career in 1975 with the Red Sox before moving to the White Sox in 1982. ... Boston RHP Carson Smith is scheduled to face hitters next week for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2016. ... White Sox LHP Carlos Rodon is expected to pitch five innings in a simulated game Thursday as he recovers from a left biceps injury.
Padres hand Cubs sixth straight loss
(TSX / STATS) -- SAN DIEGO -- Until recently, Franchy Cordero was considered one of the fastest baserunners in the San Diego Padres minor league system.
Last season, he set an all-time Padres minor league record with 16 triples in a season. Through this season's first 42 games at Triple-A El Paso, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound burner had more triples (seven) than doubles (five).
And Wednesday afternoon, Cordero burned the Chicago Cubs with his first major league triple. That preceded a sprint home in the bottom of the eighth with the game-winning run in a 2-1 Padres victory that completed a three-game sweep of the reigning World Series champions.
"There's some special tools there," Padres manager Andy Green said after Cordero sprinted around the bases to give the Padres their fourth straight win, which is their longest winning streak since winning five straight in August of 2015.
"Most players don't triple on that hit, or score on a sharp grounder with the infield in like that."
But Cordero did.
Promoted from Triple-A El Paso last Saturday when center fielder Manuel Margot was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a calf injury, Cordero had struck out three time when he approached the plate against Cubs right-handed reliever Koji Uehara with one out in the eighth.
There was never a doubt that Cordero's drive to right-center would be a double, but Cordero said he never thought about stopping.
"When I turned first, I wasn't stopping at second," said Cordero, who easily beat the relay into third.
With Cordero at third and one out in the eighth in a tie game, the Cubs brought the infield in. Yangervis Solarte seemed to hit into the strategy with a sharp grounder to second, where Ian Happ had taken over for Ben Zobrist.
Happ made a good throw to the plate. But Cordero, who was running on contact, got a foot in under the tag of catcher Willson Contreras.
The loss completed an 0-6 trip to the West Coast for the Cubs, who have lost six straight for the first time since 2012 - which also came on a six-game trip to the West coast that ended with a three-game sweep in Petco Park.
"It was a tough road trip," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "I've been involved in difficult West Coast trips in the past and this was another one."
The Cubs scored five runs on 12 hits in the three losses at Petco Park.
"I liked our lineup a lot today," said Maddon. "We've just got to stick with it. There's no magic potion. We've just got to keep going out there and keep playing. I believe in our guys 100 percent. These are good young players, they've shown it in the past.
"They're going to show it to you again."
Each team got a solid game from its starting pitcher.
Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta allowed one run on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in six innings. Padres right-hander Luis Perdomo allowed one run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts while going seven innings for the first time this season.
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the second.
Anthony Rizzo was hit by a Perdomo pitch leading off the inning. He stole second and moved to third on Ian Happ's fly to deep center. Perdomo looked to be out of the inning when he retired Jason Heyward on a comebacker and got Javier Baez to hit a short grounder to third.
But Rizzo scored when Padres third baseman Ryan Schimpf failed to field Baez's ball for what was scored a single.
Schimpf made amends in the bottom half of the inning when he homered off Arrieta. Schimpf's 384-foot drive into the right field stands leading off the inning was his 14th homer of the season and the 11th allowed by Arrieta.
"I made a lot of good pitches," said Arrieta. "The one to Schimpf was a cutter that was in the patch of a lot of lefties' bats. The curveball was awesome today, it's really starting to come around as well as the changeup and the fastball command. There were a lot of good things today.
"You gotta give their guy credit. Perdomo threw the ball really well . . . good velocity, good sinking velocity. He forced a lot of weak contact. And they were able to make one more play than us."
The play Arrieta was referring to came in the bottom of the seventh with Contreras on second and one out.
Baez grounded a ball over second that appeared to be headed for center and a 2-1 Cubs lead. But Padres second baseman Solarte went far to his right, made a diving stop and threw a one-hopper to first that Wil Myers scooped for the out, forcing Contreras to hold at third. Pinch-hitter Addison Russell flew out to center to end the threat.
Each team stranded runners in scoring position.
After Schimpf homered in the second, Erick Aybar doubled with one out and reached third on a wild pitch. But after rookie catcher Luis Torrens walked, Arrieta got Perdomo to ground into an inning-ending double play. Torrens singled to open the fifth and was on second with one out when Arrieta struck out Cordero and Solarte.
Contreras doubled leading off the fifth and was on third with one out. But Perdomo struck out Arrieta and retired Zobrist on a grounder to second.
Left-handed reliever Brad Hand (1-3) was credited with the win and Brandon Maurer got his eighth save. Uehara (1-3) suffered the loss.
NOTES: Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo was not happy after being hit by a Luis Perdomo pitch in the first. Rizzo got hit twice in the series and now leads the major leagues with 12 hit-by-pitches this season . . . Padres RHP Carter Capps, who had Tommy John surgery last year, faced hitters at the Padres' year-round training facility in Arizona this week, and manager Andy Green said the results "were mixed" . . . Entering the game, left-handed hitters were batting .370 against the right-handed Perdomo. Cubs left-handed hitters were 0-for-14 against Perdomo Wednesday.
Last season, he set an all-time Padres minor league record with 16 triples in a season. Through this season's first 42 games at Triple-A El Paso, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound burner had more triples (seven) than doubles (five).
And Wednesday afternoon, Cordero burned the Chicago Cubs with his first major league triple. That preceded a sprint home in the bottom of the eighth with the game-winning run in a 2-1 Padres victory that completed a three-game sweep of the reigning World Series champions.
"There's some special tools there," Padres manager Andy Green said after Cordero sprinted around the bases to give the Padres their fourth straight win, which is their longest winning streak since winning five straight in August of 2015.
"Most players don't triple on that hit, or score on a sharp grounder with the infield in like that."
But Cordero did.
Promoted from Triple-A El Paso last Saturday when center fielder Manuel Margot was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a calf injury, Cordero had struck out three time when he approached the plate against Cubs right-handed reliever Koji Uehara with one out in the eighth.
There was never a doubt that Cordero's drive to right-center would be a double, but Cordero said he never thought about stopping.
"When I turned first, I wasn't stopping at second," said Cordero, who easily beat the relay into third.
With Cordero at third and one out in the eighth in a tie game, the Cubs brought the infield in. Yangervis Solarte seemed to hit into the strategy with a sharp grounder to second, where Ian Happ had taken over for Ben Zobrist.
Happ made a good throw to the plate. But Cordero, who was running on contact, got a foot in under the tag of catcher Willson Contreras.
The loss completed an 0-6 trip to the West Coast for the Cubs, who have lost six straight for the first time since 2012 - which also came on a six-game trip to the West coast that ended with a three-game sweep in Petco Park.
"It was a tough road trip," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "I've been involved in difficult West Coast trips in the past and this was another one."
The Cubs scored five runs on 12 hits in the three losses at Petco Park.
"I liked our lineup a lot today," said Maddon. "We've just got to stick with it. There's no magic potion. We've just got to keep going out there and keep playing. I believe in our guys 100 percent. These are good young players, they've shown it in the past.
"They're going to show it to you again."
Each team got a solid game from its starting pitcher.
Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta allowed one run on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in six innings. Padres right-hander Luis Perdomo allowed one run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts while going seven innings for the first time this season.
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the second.
Anthony Rizzo was hit by a Perdomo pitch leading off the inning. He stole second and moved to third on Ian Happ's fly to deep center. Perdomo looked to be out of the inning when he retired Jason Heyward on a comebacker and got Javier Baez to hit a short grounder to third.
But Rizzo scored when Padres third baseman Ryan Schimpf failed to field Baez's ball for what was scored a single.
Schimpf made amends in the bottom half of the inning when he homered off Arrieta. Schimpf's 384-foot drive into the right field stands leading off the inning was his 14th homer of the season and the 11th allowed by Arrieta.
"I made a lot of good pitches," said Arrieta. "The one to Schimpf was a cutter that was in the patch of a lot of lefties' bats. The curveball was awesome today, it's really starting to come around as well as the changeup and the fastball command. There were a lot of good things today.
"You gotta give their guy credit. Perdomo threw the ball really well . . . good velocity, good sinking velocity. He forced a lot of weak contact. And they were able to make one more play than us."
The play Arrieta was referring to came in the bottom of the seventh with Contreras on second and one out.
Baez grounded a ball over second that appeared to be headed for center and a 2-1 Cubs lead. But Padres second baseman Solarte went far to his right, made a diving stop and threw a one-hopper to first that Wil Myers scooped for the out, forcing Contreras to hold at third. Pinch-hitter Addison Russell flew out to center to end the threat.
Each team stranded runners in scoring position.
After Schimpf homered in the second, Erick Aybar doubled with one out and reached third on a wild pitch. But after rookie catcher Luis Torrens walked, Arrieta got Perdomo to ground into an inning-ending double play. Torrens singled to open the fifth and was on second with one out when Arrieta struck out Cordero and Solarte.
Contreras doubled leading off the fifth and was on third with one out. But Perdomo struck out Arrieta and retired Zobrist on a grounder to second.
Left-handed reliever Brad Hand (1-3) was credited with the win and Brandon Maurer got his eighth save. Uehara (1-3) suffered the loss.
NOTES: Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo was not happy after being hit by a Luis Perdomo pitch in the first. Rizzo got hit twice in the series and now leads the major leagues with 12 hit-by-pitches this season . . . Padres RHP Carter Capps, who had Tommy John surgery last year, faced hitters at the Padres' year-round training facility in Arizona this week, and manager Andy Green said the results "were mixed" . . . Entering the game, left-handed hitters were batting .370 against the right-handed Perdomo. Cubs left-handed hitters were 0-for-14 against Perdomo Wednesday.
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