Cabrera Homers Twice To Lift Tigers Over Phillies, 5-4
NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer
DETROIT (AP) — Miguel Cabrera hit two of Detroit's four solo homers, then scored a tiebreaking run on Victor Martinez's seventh-inning single to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.
Detroit has won seven of eight, and the Tigers pulled this game out after wasting some early opportunities with men on base. J.D. Martinez and Nick Castellanos also homered for Detroit, while Maikel Franco and Tommy Joseph hit solo shots for the Phillies.
Cabrera, who is 6 for 6 over his last two games, doubled with one out in the seventh. After moving to third on a wild pitch, he scored on Victor Martinez's hit off Colton Murray (0-1).
Justin Wilson (1-1) got the win in relief for Detroit, and Francisco Rodriguez struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances.
The Phillies fell to 14-4 in one-run games this season.
Philadelphia's Odubel Herrera had three hits but was taken out of the game in the seventh.
Cabrera has five homers in his last four games. His first solo shot Monday tied the game at 1 in the third, but Franco homered the following inning, and the Phillies took a 3-1 lead on Cesar Hernandez's sacrifice fly in the fifth.
J.D. Martinez and Cabrera opened the bottom of the fifth with consecutive homers, chasing Philadelphia starter Vincent Velasquez. Castellanos' home run came later that inning off Murray.
Joseph tied it at 4 with his sixth-inning homer, and Detroit starter Mike Pelfrey was forced to settle for his fifth straight no-decision after opening the season with four consecutive losses.
Pelfrey allowed four runs and 11 hits in six innings. Velasquez yielded three runs and nine hits in four-plus innings.
The Tigers left the bases loaded in the first and failed to score in the fourth after having men on second and third with nobody out.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Detroit OF Justin Upton missed the game because of right quadriceps tightness. ... Cabrera was back in the lineup after leaving Sunday's game with a bruised knee. ... Detroit RHP Jordan Zimmermann is expected to miss at least his next start with a strained groin.
UP NEXT
Phillies: Jeremy Hellickson (4-2) takes the mound Tuesday night against the Tigers. He's won his last two starts.
Tigers: Justin Verlander (3-4) pitches for Detroit. He's allowed only four runs over his last three outings.
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