Cabrera's homer in 9th completes Tigers' comeback

[July 10, 2008]  DETROIT (AP) -- Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Detroit Tigers rallied from an early six-run deficit, beating Cleveland 8-6 Wednesday night and sending the Indians to their 10th straight loss.

Down 6-0 in the sixth, the Tigers came back. Cabrera won it when he connected with one out for his third home run in two games.

Todd Jones (4-0) pitched out of a jam in the top of the ninth, escaping when Casey Blake was thrown out at the plate.

Marcus Thames then led off the bottom half with a pinch-single. After Carlos Guillen popped out, Cabrera hit a drive off Jensen Lewis (0-3) for his 16th home run of the season.

The Tigers won their third in a row. They scored a run in the sixth and tied it with five more in the seventh.

Cleveland took a 3-0 in the first against Eddie Bonine when Jhonny Peralta hit an RBI double, Blake had a sacrifice fly and Shin-Soo Choo followed singled home a run.

Grady Sizemore hit RBI singles in the second and fourth innings, and an error by Guillen at third base made it 6-0 in the sixth.

Detroit scored on Edgar Renteria's RBI single in the sixth, then chased Paul Byrd in the seventh after Dane Sardinha and Curtis Granderson started the inning with singles.

Reliever Rafael Betancourt walked Clete Thomas to load the bases and Guillen made it 6-3 with a two-run double. Cabrera drove in another run with an groundout and Matt Joyce tied it with a two-run homer.

Blake led off the ninth with a double against Jones and took third on a groundout. Ryan Garko followed with a sharp grounder to third and Guillen threw out Blake at the plate.

Notes: Tigers 2B Placido Polanco didn't start after being sworn in as a U.S. citizen before the game. He entered in the seventh inning after Renteria strained a hamstring running out a ground ball. ... Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio threw out the first pitch.

[Associated Press]

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