Pinch-Hitter Hector Sanchez Powers Padres Past Tigers 7-3
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Pinch-hitter Hector Sanchez slugged a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, powering the San Diego Padres to a 7-3 victory over Detroit on Saturday night and sending the Tigers to their eighth consecutive loss.
With the Padres trailing 3-2, Shane Greene (1-2) walked leadoff man Erick Aybar to start the eighth. Sanchez, a backup catcher who was batting for pitcher Kirby Yates, was hitting .087 in 23 at-bats when he slammed Greene's 0-1 pitch for his second homer of the season. Cory Spangenberg added a two-run single and Austin Hedges drove in another run on a squeeze bunt in the five-run inning.
Greene was charged with four runs and two hits with two walks in just one-third of an inning.
Detroit's losing streak is its longest since also dropping eight in a row from May 28 to June 5 in 2015.
Yates (2-1) threw a scoreless eighth to earn the win for the Padres, who fell behind 3-2 in the seventh on Andrew Romine's RBI single.
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