Giants Best Price, Tigers 5-4
The San Francisco Giants jumped on David Price right at the start, making themselves right at home in another successful game at Comerica Park.
Andrew Susac hit a two-run double in San Francisco's four-run first, and the Giants beat the Detroit Tigers 5-4 on Saturday.
Two years after clinching the 2012 World Series in Detroit, the Giants have taken the first two games of a weekend series at the Tigers' home. They have won eight of nine against Detroit overall.
Buster Posey had a solo homer among his three hits for San Francisco, which has won three of four and nine of 11 overall. Madison Bumgarner pitched six innings for his fourth consecutive win, giving him a career-high 17 on the year.
"We were fortunate to get those early runs off Price," Posey said. "You don't usually get runs like that off a guy like him."
Miguel Cabrera homered twice for Detroit, which has dropped three of four. Victor Martinez hit a solo drive in the third for his career-best 30th homer.
Price (13-11) settled down after the rough start, striking out 11 in 8 2-3 innings. But the left-hander, who was acquired from Tampa Bay in a July 31 trade, dropped to 1-3 with a 4.91 ERA in his last four starts.
The Giants strung together five consecutive hits after Price retired the first two batters. Pablo Sandoval singled in Posey and scored on Susac's double to center. Joaquin Arias then doubled home Susac to make it 4-0.
San Francisco was extremely aggressive in the inning, sending eight batters to the plate despite Price only throwing 24 pitches.
"I only feel like I made one big mistake all day, and that was the double by their catcher -- Susac, I think," Price said. "Even Posey hit a good pitch. But I had the two outs in the first, and I need to be able to execute a pitch right there and get off the field. I didn't do that, and I haven't done it since I got here."
Posey connected with one out in the fifth, hitting a drive to left for his 20th homer and a 5-3 lead.
"Against Price, you are just trying to get something you can hit," Posey said. "You keep a good, simple approach and try to get the barrel of the bat on the ball."
Because of a long rain delay on Friday night, there were just 12 1/2 hours between the last pitch of the series opener and Price's first pitch on Saturday. With the Giants leading 8-2 after eight innings Friday and the clock well past midnight, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus pulled his starters and sent them home to get an extra hour of sleep.
Detroit tried to rally after San Francisco's fast start. Cabrera hit a two-run drive in the first, and Martinez's homer got the Tigers within one. Cabrera added a solo shot in the eighth, making it 5-4, but that was it for the Tigers.
Bumgarner (17-9), who won Game 2 two years ago, allowed three runs and 10 hits. Santiago Casilla pitched the ninth for his 15th save.
Cabrera's eighth-inning homer came against Sergio Romo, who struck the slugger out to end the 2012 World Series.
"I just looked at that pitch on tape, and it was really good," Susac said. "That guy is just freakishly strong."
Cabrera has two multihomer games this season, both coming this week.
"I don't know if he's feeling better or if he has just adjusted to his ankle problems," Ausmus said. "It's probably a little of both, but it is great to see."
Detroit: C Alex Avila did not show any concussion symptoms on Friday, but rookie James McCann made his first major league start with the Tigers facing a lefty on Saturday. Avila struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth in his first appearance since leaving an Aug. 2 game in Cleveland after taking a foul tip off the mask.
San Francisco: OF Michael Morse (strained oblique) remains on track to return when the Giants start a three-game series against Arizona on Tuesday. Morse had a cortisone shot Friday and is not expected to play against Detroit.
Detroit will give LHP Kyle Lobstein (0-0) his third career start on Sunday night against Tim Hudson (9-9). Hudson, who hasn't started against Detroit since 2004, is one of three active players to have pitched at Tiger Stadium, along with LaTroy Hawkins and Bartolo Colon.
Bumgarner didn't walk or strike out a batter in his six innings, the first such game he has had in his career. Bumgarner led the National League with 56 strikeouts while winning pitcher of the month for August.