Tigers Slug Their Way Past Dodgers For 14-5 Win
By NOAH TRISTER/AP Baseball Writer
DETROIT (AP) - Justin Verlander settled down after a terrible first inning and the Detroit Tigers rallied in emphatic fashion for a 14-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
Verlander (8-7) allowed five runs in the first, but the Dodgers managed only one more hit off the Detroit right-hander, who has had his share of struggles this season. The Tigers tied it with five runs in the second, then added two in the third and four in the fourth to pull away.
Miguel Cabrera was one of five Detroit players with three hits.
Verlander allowed five runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked two.
Hyun-Jin Ryu (9-5) allowed seven runs and 10 hits in 2 1-3 innings.
Juan Uribe hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers in the first, but Verlander retired 13 in a row after that.
The Tigers' 14 runs set a season high, as did their 20 hits.
Detroit managed its offensive outburst without a single homer, but broke through for eight hits in the second against Ryu. Torii Hunter led off with a double - he was initially ruled out at second after a nice throw from right fielder Yasiel Puig, but the call was overturned on replay.
Nick Castellanos, Alex Avila, Eugenio Suarez and Rajai Davis followed with consecutive singles, and Avila scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3. Ian Kinsler added an RBI single with one out, and Cabrera followed with one of his own to tie it.
Davis hit an RBI single in the third to chase Ryu, and Austin Jackson followed with a sacrifice fly for a 7-5 lead.
What once looked like a Los Angeles rout turned into a blowout for Detroit in the fourth, when the first six Tigers reached base against reliever Jamey Wright.
Castellanos singled home a run, and a bases-loaded walk by Avila forced in another. Suarez's RBI single made it 10-5.
Davis added a sacrifice fly, and in the fifth, J.D. Martinez tripled and scored on Hunter's single.
Detroit scored two more runs in the seventh. Cabrera hit an RBI triple, reaching third when Puig's throw from the wall in right-center sailed over two potential cutoff men. Hunter drove Cabrera home with a single.
Verlander's ERA increased to 4.84, but he won his 12th straight regular-season decision against a National League team. Martinez, Hunter, Castellanos and Davis also had three hits apiece for the Tigers.
Los Angeles opened the scoring on a two-run double by Adrian Gonzalez, and Matt Kemp added an RBI single to make it 3-0. Uribe's homer was his fifth of the year.
NOTES: Kemp had three hits for the Dodgers. ... The Tigers were without DH Victor Martinez, who is dealing with a back issue. ... Andre Ethier hit into a rare 7-5 forceout in the sixth when his blooper to left dropped barely in front of Davis. The runners at first and second couldn't be sure if Davis would catch it or not. ... Detroit announced agreements with three draft picks: RHP Adam Ravenelle, RHP Artie Lewicki and RHP Whit Mayberry. ... Detroit RHP Max Scherzer (10-3) faces Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke (11-4) on Wednesday.
© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
