Scherzer, Tigers cool off Mariners
4/19/2010SEATTLE - Young right-hander Max Scherzer pitched six solid innings, Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer into the second deck, and the Detroit Tigers avoided a three-game sweep with a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners yesterday.
Scherzer, the Tigers' 25-year-old starter, gave up just a pair of runs and scattered six hits as the Tigers stopped Seattle's four-game win streak.
Cabrera gave Detroit an early lead, clubbing a three-run shot in the third off Seattle starter Ian Snell. It was his third homer of the season, the ball landing 403-feet away in the second level of seats in left field.
Acquired in the offseason in a trade with Tampa Bay, Scherzer (1-1) followed up on a strong effort from Justin Verlander on Saturday night. Verlander became the first Tigers starter to work beyond the sixth inning, and Scherzer likely could have done the same yesterday.
Instead, Phil Coke and Ryan Perry worked the seventh, and Perry survived the eighth despite runners on second and third and one out. Perry struck out Franklin Gutierrez looking on a 1-2 fastball, then got Jose Lopez to pop up to end the threat.
Jose Valverde pitched the ninth for his third save in four chances, including a strikeout of pinch-hitter Milton Bradley to end the game.
Austin Jackson added an RBI single in the eighth for Detroit.