Tigers ride 19-hit attack to topple Cubs
CHICAGO -- J.D. Martinez smacked a two-run homer in the first inning and a tie-breaking sacrifice fly in the eighth to power the Tigers to a 10-8 Interleague victory Tuesday night over the Cubs, who lost for the second time in the last 11 games.
With the game tied at 6 in the eighth, Anthony Gose reached on a bunt single that pitcher Pedro Strop fielded but threw into right field. Ian Kinsler also reached on a bunt hit, one of his five hits in the game, and Miguel Cabrera walked to load the bases to set up Martinez's sacrifice fly. Nick Castellanos followed with a two-run single. The Tigers finished with 19 hits.
"It's good that we've been able to bounce back," Castellanos said. "That's what good teams do. So it was a good step in the right direction."
The Tigers did not hit the ball hard off Strop.
"Strop will go and feel badly, but he didn't throw the ball badly -- they executed in that inning," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "The numbers look horrible, but he didn't get bludgeoned."
Rain stopped play with one out in the third and delayed the game for two hours and 17 minutes. Mother Nature didn't intervene soon enough for Chicago starter Jason Hammel, who served up three home runs -- a solo shot by Kinsler and a pair of two-run homers by Martinez and Gose. Cubs rookie Kyle Schwarber hit a three-run homer in the fifth to pull within 6-5, and Anthony Rizzo tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh.
Video: DET@CHC: Ballpark Cam checks in on rain at Wrigley
"It's disappointing to go out there and have good stuff like I did tonight and just get hit around the yard," Hammel said. "It was one of those nights where it seemed like they knew what was coming." More >
Video: DET@CHC: J.D. Martinez smashes two-run home run
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
First-inning long balls: The Tigers wasted little time flexing their muscles, hitting two home runs -- and nearly a third -- in the first inning. Kinsler hit a shot into the left-field basket wall, before Cabrera appeared to follow up with one of his own the next pitch. However, Cabrera's home run was ruled a ground-rule double because of fan interference. He still scored as Martinez connected on his 31st homer two pitches later. The Cubs got in on the action when Chris Coghlan hit a two-run homer in their half.
Video: DET@CHC: Schwarber throws out Iglesias at home plate
Kid stuff: Schwarber, the Cubs' No. 1 prospect, threw out Jose Iglesias from left to end the top of the fifth, and he then delivered at the plate in the bottom half of the frame. Chicago had two on and two outs when Schwarber launched a 2-1 pitch from Buck Farmer into the right-field bleachers for his ninth home run. In 14 games this month, the rookie has six home runs and 18 RBIs.
"That kid can play baseball," Hammel said of Schwarber. "Being in college last year, and all of a sudden in the show and hitting laser beams all over the yard, he's pretty impressive to watch. He's got a good attitude, too. He's keeping it level and taking it in in stride."
Video: DET@CHC: Kinsler goes 5-for-5 in win over Cubs
Nearly perfect at the plate: Iglesias would normally be in the spotlight with his 4-for-5 performance at the plate, but that was overshadowed on Wednesday by Kinsler's 5-for-5 performance. Kinsler finished a triple shy of the cycle, adding two singles, for his third five-hit game in his career. Iglesias finished with three singles and a double on the night, but he couldn't stay perfect when he struck out in the eighth.
"You try to block stuff out like [hitting for the cycle] as best you can, because once you start thinking about it, you kind of get out of your element and get you out of where you should be," Kinsler said. "I'm just trying to get a good pitch and put a good swing on it." More >
Video: DET@CHC: Castellanos pads lead with two-run single
QUOTABLE
"My worst at-bat of the game was the base hit with two RBIs, but on the box score, it was the best." -- Castellanos, on his bloop single to center field that proved to score the Tigers' go-ahead runs
Video: DET@CHC: Farmer collects first Major League hit
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
In his first Major League at-bat, Tigers reliever Farmer, 24, singled with one out and one on in the fifth for his first hit. Farmer not only didn't have an at-bat or hit in the big leagues, but he never had a plate appearance in the Minor Leagues.
Video: DET@CHC: Miggy's home run overturned to a double
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Cabrera thought he had his second homer in as many days, but the first baseman was left with a ground-rule double after a fan interfered with the play. Cabrera hit what appeared to be his 17th homer in the first, but following a crew chief review, the call was overturned because a fan reached over the netting outside the walls at Wrigley Field. More >
WHAT'S NEXT
Tigers: Daniel Norris makes his fourth start of the season for the Tigers when they conclude a two-game series at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. Norris has thrown two quality starts in three outings since starting in early August since he was acquired from Toronto. First pitch is sated for 8:05 p.m. ET.
Cubs: Jon Lester, who is 4-0 with a 2.04 ERA in his last five starts, will finish the two-game series on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. The lefty has struck out 40 and walked six in those five games. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT.
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