Sanchez, Davis Lead Tigers To 6-0 Win Over Cubs
DETROIT (AP) — Anibal Sanchez pitched well for 7 2/3 innings and Rajai Davis had a big day at bat and in the field as the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs, 6-0, on Tuesday night.
Davis had a double, a triple and stole a homer from David Ross, while Sanchez (4-7) ended a four-start slump that saw Detroit lose all four starts while he posted a 7.71 ERA.
Sanchez allowed six hits and walked two while striking out seven.
Jon Lester (4-5) took the loss, giving up five runs on nine hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.
Davis led off the first with a double, took third on David Ross' passed ball and scored on Miguel Cabrera's single to center.
The Cubs nearly took a 2-1 lead in the second, but Davis got the better of Ross again, reaching well over the left-centerfield fence to rob him of a home run.
The Tigers expanded the margin to 3-0 in the fourth when Nick Castellanos drove home Cabrera and Yoenis Cespedes with a single, although he was thrown out trying to take second. That probably cost the Tigers a run, as James McCann followed with a double into the right-field corner.
Cespedes made Detroit's next big play, throwing out Junior Lake at the plate as he tried to score on Addison Russell's single to left.
The Tigers then chased Lester with a two-run fifth inning. Jose Iglesias led off the inning with a single, but was thrown out stealing — the only out Lester got in the inning. Davis tripled and scored on an Ian Kinsler double before Cabrera and Cespedes drew walks to load the bases.
Former Tiger Edwin Jackson replaced Lester and gave up an RBI single to J.D. Martinez, making it 5-0, but the Cubs escaped without further damage. Kinsler's check-swing RBI single brought home Josh Wilson in the sixth.
Chicago loaded the bases with two out in the eight, but Joba Chamberlain replaced Sanchez and struck out Miguel Montero to end the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: 2B prospect Javier Baez will miss 6-8 weeks after breaking his left ring finger in Sunday's Triple-A game for Iowa. Baez, considered one of the top-10 prospects in baseball, was hitting .314 with power in 37 games for Iowa after losing out the Cubs' second-base job in spring training.
Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander will make his season debut Saturday against Cleveland. Verlander, sidelined with a strained triceps muscle since spring training, threw 93 pitches in his second rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Toledo, allowing one run in 6 1/3 innings.
UP NEXT
The Tigers and Cubs finish a two-game series Wednesday night with Jake Arrieta (5-4, 3.04) pitching against Shane Greene (4-5, 5.40). After a 3-0 start, Greene is 1-5 with an 8.14 ERA in his last nine starts, allowing opponents to hit .328 with a .575 slugging percentage.
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