Victor Martinez drove in three runs for the Tigers while Cabrera hit the game winning RBI as the Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 6-3 tonight from Kauffman Stadium earning themselves a split in the short two game series.
Tonight’s win also gives the Tigers a 45-36 road record this year which is their best since the 2006 season in which the Tigers won 49 on the road. Obviously that season the Tigers went on to the World Series. Last season the Tigers were 29-52 on the road.
Not only does this victory tonight give the Tigers a winning road record and 90 wins on the season but it also puts them a half a game ahead of the Texas Rangers for the second best record in the American League. This may be vital in the race to obtain home field advantage in the ALDS.
The Tigers will finish out the remainder of the season at home in a weekend series with the Baltimore Orioles which begins Thursday and the Cleveland Indians which begins Monday. The ALDS is scheduled to begin next Friday.
“Right now, what we need to do is we need to get home,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said before the game. “We just need to get home. It’s been a stressful road trip. Clinching, the celebration, long trip to Oakland, long trip here. What we need to do is get home, settle in, get our thoughts together.”
Speaking of the ALDS, Tigers manager Jim Leyland began preparing his starting rotation for it tonight. Leyland opted to pitch both Max Scherzer and Doug Fister Wednesday night which would eventually enable him (Leyland) to use Fister and Scherzer in games two and three of the ALDS.
Scherzer ended up going five innings Wednesday night allowing 2 runs on five hits while walking 1 and striking out 5. Doug Fister came in during the 6th inning and allowed 1 run on 2 hits while walking zero and striking out 2. He (Fister) pitched three innings getting the win before giving way to Jose Valverde who pitched a scoreless 9th getting his 47th save of the year.
The Majors Detroit’s Player of the Game: Victor Martinez (3 RBI’s)
| Detroit | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, A, CF | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .249 |
| Kelly, 1B | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .242 |
| Young, D, LF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .269 |
| Martinez, V, DH | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .326 |
| Avila, C | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .298 |
| Peralta, Jh, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .300 |
| Dirks, RF | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .254 |
| a-Raburn, PH-RF | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .249 |
| Santiago, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .262 |
| b-Cabrera, Mi, PH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| 1-Worth, PR-2B | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .270 |
| Inge, 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .201 |
| Totals | 39 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 26 | .275 |
a-Grounded into a forceout for Dirks in the 6th. b-Doubled for Santiago in the 8th.
1-Ran for Cabrera, Mi in the 8th.
| Kansas City | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon, LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .303 |
| Cabrera, Me, CF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .305 |
| Butler, DH | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .294 |
| Hosmer, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .299 |
| Francoeur, RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .285 |
| Moustakas, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .250 |
| Giavotella, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .226 |
| a-Pena, B, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .248 |
| Perez, S, C | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .344 |
| Escobar, A, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .250 |
| Totals | 34 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 16 | .274 |
a-Popped out for Giavotella in the 9th.
2B: Kelly (7, Coleman, L), Cabrera, Mi (45, Herrera), Avila (32, Holland, G).
HR: Kelly (6, 8th inning off Herrera, 1 on, 2 out).
TB: Jackson, A; Kelly 7; Young, D; Martinez, V 2; Avila 3; Peralta, Jh; Dirks 2; Cabrera, Mi 2.
RBI: Martinez, V 3 (97), Cabrera, Mi (98), Kelly 2 (24).
2-out RBI: Martinez, V 2; Kelly 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Jackson, A; Avila; Peralta, Jh; Raburn.
SAC: Inge.
Team RISP: 3-for-15.
Team LOB: 10.BASERUNNING
SB: Jackson, A (21, 2nd base off Paulino, F/Perez, S).
FIELDING
E: Raburn (15, fielding).
PB: Avila (7).
DP: 2 (Peralta, Jh-Santiago-Kelly 2).
2B: Butler (40, Scherzer), Francoeur (47, Scherzer), Cabrera, Me (43, Fister).
TB: Gordon; Cabrera, Me 2; Butler 3; Hosmer; Francoeur 2; Moustakas; Perez, S 2.
RBI: Butler (91), Francoeur (85).
2-out RBI: Francoeur.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Moustakas; Gordon; Perez, S 2.
GIDP: Hosmer; Escobar, A.
Team RISP: 3-for-9.
Team LOB: 5.BASERUNNING
SB: Escobar, A (25, 2nd base off Scherzer/Avila).
FIELDING
E: Perez, S (3, pickoff).
| Detroit | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scherzer | 5.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4.37 |
| Fister(W, 10-13) | 3.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2.94 |
| Valverde(S, 47) | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2.37 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 4.04 |
| Kansas City | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paulino, F | 5.0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4.46 |
| Collins | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.68 |
| Coleman, L | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.87 |
| Crow(BS, 7) | 0.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.80 |
| Herrera(L, 0-1) | 1.0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27.00 |
| Holland, G | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.84 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 4.48 |
WP: Crow.
HBP: Raburn (by Herrera).
Pitches-strikes: Scherzer 84-57, Fister 39-26, Valverde 22-14, Paulino, F 103-66, Collins 13-8, Coleman, L 13-11, Crow 11-5, Herrera 13-9, Holland, G 14-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Scherzer 3-3, Fister 2-2, Valverde 0-0, Paulino, F 3-3, Collins 1-0, Coleman, L 2-0, Crow 1-0, Herrera 2-1, Holland, G 2-1.
Batters faced: Scherzer 19, Fister 11, Valverde 5, Paulino, F 23, Collins 3, Coleman, L 4, Crow 3, Herrera 6, Holland, G 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Coleman, L 1-0, Crow 1-1.
Umpires: HP: Bruce Dreckman. 1B: Gary Darling. 2B: Paul Emmel. 3B: Rob Drake.
Weather: 67 degrees, overcast.
Wind: 5 mph, L to R.
T: 3:00.
Att: 28,776.
Re: Mlive.com, MLB.com, Detroit News
