DETROIT (AP) — Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer, No. 502 of his career, and drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the seventh inning as the Detroit Tigers snapped a four-game skid with an 8-6 win over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night.
Akil Baddoo and Harold Castro homered and drove in two runs apiece for Detroit, which had lost 12 straight at home to Oakland.
Cabrera’s homer came in the fourth and erased a 3-1 deficit.
“Miggy can hit the ball out of the ballpark anywhere,” manager A.J. Hinch said of Cabrera’s shot to left field. “He took some real good swings. His first at-bat (a long flyout), he hit the ball really hard in the same direction. Then he gets the homer to keep us in the game.”
Baddoo’s homer was his first since July 27. He also drew a walk for the first time since July 29.
“I kind of get a little too aggressive,” Baddoo said of his slump. ”(Tonight) I just kind of let my abilities take over.”
Castro’s long ball was just his second of the season.
“I said to (teammate) Niko (Goodrum), I think I’m going to hit a homer today,” he said. “I was hitting the ball hard in BP.”
Joe Jimenez (5-1) tossed an inning of scoreless relief for the win, and Gregory Soto earned his 17th save.
Matt Olson drove in three runs for the A’s, who had won three straight. Jed Lowrie had a pair of RBI doubles and Starling Marte hit a solo homer.
“Usually when we score six runs, we win the game,” manager Bob Melvin said. “They scored runs after the fourth (inning) and we just couldn’t hold them down, unfortunately.”
Oakland starter James Kaprielian allowed four runs in four-plus innings.
“I felt fine, I just didn’t have it today,” Kaprielian said. “Obviously, extremely frustrated and to be frank, I haven’t had a good outing in the second half of the season.”
Activated from the 10-day injury list after recovering from a blister, Detroit starter Wily Peralta gave up three runs, two earned, in four innings.
Olson’s two-run double and Lowrie’s RBI double in the fifth against Jose Urena gave the A’s a 6-3 lead. Solo homers by Baddoo and Castro pulled the Tigers within a run.
Detroit took the lead in the seventh against relievers A.J. Puk (0-2) and Jake Diekman on run-scoring singles by Jonathan Schoop and Cabrera.
Baddoo added an RBI single in the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
The A’s will close their training complex in Mesa through Sunday following a number of positive COVID-19 tests by members of the organization.
ROSTER MOVES
A’s: DH Khris Davis had his contract selected from Triple-A Las Vegas. Davis, who hit 158 homers for Oakland from 2016-20, was released by Texas on June 13 and signed a minor league deal with the A’s on Aug. 4. C Austin Allen was also recalled from Las Vegas.
Tigers: INF/OF Niko Goodrum (groin) was reinstated from the 10-day IL.
UP NEXT
A’s: RHP Frankie Montas (10-9, 3.66 ERA) will start the series finale on Thursday. LHP Sean Manaea was originally scheduled to pitch, but the A’s couldn’t secure Montas an expedited visa into Canada. Oakland plays a weekend series in Toronto.
Tigers: RHP Matt Manning (3-5, 5.46 ERA) is coming off one of his strongest outings this season. The rookie held Toronto to one run and struck out a career-high five in six innings on Friday.
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