Cabrera's homer helps Tigers complete sweep of struggling Pirates

Baseball Betting Lines

06/13/2010 - Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Detroit Tigers completed a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 4-3 win at Comerica Park.

Alex Avila 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.

Brad Thomas (4-0) earned the win for retiring the final batter in the top of the eighth. Detroit starter Armando Galarraga allowed only two runs on six hits with one walk over 7 2/3 innings. Jose Valverde 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.

Garrett Jones hit a solo homer and knocked in a pair for the Pirates, who have dropped a major league-high eight straight games. Delwyn Young drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Javier Lopez (1-1) took the loss after being charged with one run in the eighth and walking the only batter he faced. Jeff Karstens got the starting nod for the Pirates and worked seven-plus innings, allowing six hits, two runs and one walk with three strikeouts.

In the bottom of the eighth and Pittsburgh clinging to a 2-1 lead, pinch- hitter Carlos Guillen got the inning started with a single and Karstens was lifted in favor of D.J. Carrasco, who set down Ryan Raburn and uncorked a wild pitch before striking out Ramon Santiago.

Lopez was summoned from the bullpen and walked Johnny Damon. The Pirates then turned to closer Octavio Dotel, who hung a 1-1 cutter to Cabrera and the power-hitting first baseman hammered it over the right-center field wall for a 4-2 Tigers advantage.

Valverde took over in the top of the ninth and surrendered a leadoff double to Ryan Doumit, who advanced to third on a groundout and crossed the plate on Young's sac fly. Pinch-hitter Akinori Iwamura flied out to center to end the game.

Jones' lead off homer to right in the second gave the Pirates the early lead. Then in the fourth, Jones' ground-rule double plated Andrew McCutchen, who reached on an infield single and went to second on a balk to make it 2-0.

Karstens kept the Tigers off the board until the seventh when Avila crushed a first-pitch sinker with two outs over the wall in straightaway center.

Galarraga issued a two-out single to McCutchen in the eighth, which signaled the end of the afternoon for the right-hander. Thomas came in and retired Jones on a groundout to second.

Game Notes

Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson (back spasms) exited the game after a half inning...Detroit was also without right fielder Magglio Ordonez (strained oblique)...Pittsburgh fell to a major league-worst 71-113 in interleague play.

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