SB Nation Detroit - Tigers Sweep Pirates Thanks To Miguel Cabrera's Clutch Home Runhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48919/detroit-fave.png2010-06-13T15:53:14-04:00http://detroit.sbnation.com/rss/stream/12800622010-06-13T15:53:14-04:002010-06-13T15:53:14-04:00Miguel Cabrera's 8th-Inning Home Run Gives Tigers 4-3 Victory
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<p>Detroit, MI (<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/53732/recap/106717">Sports Network</a>) - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/427/Miguel_Cabrera">Miguel Cabrera</a> hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/DET">Detroit Tigers</a> completed a three-game sweep of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/PIT">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> with a 4-3 win at Comerica Park.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/68930/Alex_Avila">Alex Avila</a> added a solo shot for Detroit, which has won four of their last six and improved to 32-6 in their last 38 interleague games at home and an impressive 127-108 all-time in interleague play.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/32257/Brad_Thomas">Brad Thomas</a> (4-0) earned the win for retiring the final batter in the top of the eighth. Detriot starter <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/22064/Armando_Galarraga">Armando Galarraga</a> allowed only two runs on six hits with one walk over 7 2/3 innings. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/587/Jose_Valverde">Jose Valverde</a> picked up his 13th save of the season despite giving up a run in the ninth inning which snapped his scoreless streak at 26 innings.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2010/6/13/1516276/miguel-cabreras-8th-inning-homeSean Yuille2010-06-13T15:32:55-04:002010-06-13T15:32:55-04:00Miggy Does It Again: 3-Run Shot Gives Tigers Late Lead
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<p>Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer to right-center field in the bottom of the eighth to put the Tigers on top 4-2. It is Detroit's first lead of the day and couldn't have come at a better time, as the Pirates now have only one more inning to avoid being swept.</p>
<p>Jose Valverde is in for the Tigers to hopefully close out the game and give Detroit a third win in as many days.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2010/6/13/1516248/miggy-does-it-again-3-run-shotSean Yuille2010-06-13T13:44:14-04:002010-06-13T13:44:14-04:00Austin Jackson Leaves Game With Back Spasms
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<p>Austin Jackson played center field in the top of the first inning today, but he did not come back out in the bottom of the inning to bat leadoff. Ryan Raburn was in his place, pinch-hitting for Jackson <a href="http://twitter.com/OFFICIAL_TIGERS/status/16085448608">because of an injury</a>.</p>
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<p><span class="status-body"><span class="entry-content">Austin Jackson left today's game after the top of the first inning with low back spasms. He is day to day.</span></span></p>
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<p>Magglio Ordonez, who is also day-to-day, has missed six straight games and seven of the last eight. Sometimes day-to-day can mean missing only a couple of games, but it really varies depending on the injury, as Ordonez has showed us.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2010/6/13/1516105/austin-jackson-leaves-game-withSean Yuille2010-06-13T12:36:07-04:002010-06-13T12:36:07-04:00Tigers Look To Sweep Pirates In Series Finale
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<p>(<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/53732/preview/106686">Sports Network</a>) - Desperate to snap the longest losing streak in the major leagues, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/PIT">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> give it another shot this afternoon as they tangle with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/DET">Detroit Tigers</a> at Comerica Park.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh, which also shows the worst road record in the National League at a mere 9-24, had an opportunity to stop the bleeding on Saturday, but the team failed to hold off the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/DET">Tigers</a> in 10 innings of a 4-3 final.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/308/Carlos_Guillen">Carlos Guillen</a> ended the meeting with a home run, handing reliever <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/300/Brendan_Donnelly">Brendan Donnelly</a> his first loss of the campaign.</p>
<p>"I made a bad pitch and he hit a homer," Donnelly said. "I'm upset that I couldn't extend the game."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/601/Johnny_Damon">Johnny Damon</a> finished up 3-for-5 with a run scored for the Tigers, who are 3 1/2 games behind Minnesota for first place in the American League Central. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/48583/Phil_Coke">Phil Coke</a> picked up his fourth win in as many decisions for throwing the top of the 10th, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/312/Jeremy_Bonderman">Jeremy Bonderman</a> went seven innings in the start, giving up two runs on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts.</p>
<p>"We missed a lot of opportunities," noted Detroit manager Jim Leyland. "We have to start doing a little bit better with the opportunities to score some runs."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/587/Jose_Valverde">Jose Valverde</a> extended a scoreless streak to 25 outings spanning 25 1/3 innings with the Tigers. His earned run average of 0.34 leads all AL relievers.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/740/Garrett_Jones">Garrett Jones</a> hit a solo home run and scored twice while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/515/Ryan_Church">Ryan Church</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/32580/Neil_Walker">Neil Walker</a> each drove in a run for Pittsburgh, which is now 12 1/2 games out of contention in the NL Central. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/396/Paul_Maholm">Paul Maholm</a> went six innings in the start and was charged with just one run on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts.</p>
<p>Taking the hill for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/PIT">Pirates</a> this afternoon is right-hander <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/624/Jeff_Karstens">Jeff Karstens</a>, making his first-ever appearance against Detroit. The Texas Tech product, who has a career mark of just 10-19 coming into the weekend, happened to be the opposing pitcher in the debut for Washington's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/84354/Stephen_Strasburg">Stephen Strasburg</a> earlier this week, giving up four runs on nine hits, three of which were home runs, over five innings in the 5-2 loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/WAS">Nationals</a>.</p>
<p>Since making three starts earlier in the campaign, Karstens was part of the bullpen for the Pirates, but again he has been asked to take part in the starting rotation until further notice.</p>
<p>Countering for the home team on the mound is <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/22064/Armando_Galarraga">Armando Galarraga</a>. The right- hander, who has a career mark of 0-1 with an 18.00 ERA versus the Pirates, also lasted just five innings in his most recent outing for Detroit. In that meeting against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/CWS">Chicago White Sox</a> earlier this week, Galarraga permitted just two earned runs on seven hits and a pair of walks, while striking out two, yet even though Detroit recorded the 7-2 victory, the Venezuela native failed to factor into the decision.</p>
<p>Against Cleveland just 11 days ago, Galarraga made a name for himself by pitching a one-hitter in a 3-0 triumph at home versus the Tribe.</p>
<p>During the current skid the Pirates are hitting just .228, nearly one hundred points lower than the competition (.325) during that span. Jones has been the one bright spot for the club, having tallied nine hits and 17 total bases in his last 26 at-bats.</p>
<p>The Tigers are a staggering 31-6 in their last 37 interleague games at home and are 126-108 all-time in interleague play, compared to Pittsburgh which is a major league-worst 71-112 in interleague play.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2010/6/13/2316420/tigers-look-to-sweep-pirates-in-series-finaleSean Yuille