Ordonez's HR lifts Tigers to 6-5 win against Cubs

[June 26, 2009]  DETROIT (AP) -- Magglio Ordonez ended a career-long, 40-game drought without a home run by connecting for the go-ahead shot, leading the Detroit Tigers over the Chicago Cubs 6-5 Thursday for their seventh straight victory.

Ordonez connected for a two-run homer in the fourth inning. The AL Central leaders held on to complete the three-game sweep, and matched their longest winning streak of the season.

Ordonez had two hits Wednesday in his first game since cutting his flowing locks. Maybe the slump was in his hair, which is now being auctioned off on eBay for charity.

Armando Galarraga (4-7) gave up four runs over six innings and won for the first time since April 26.

Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth to earn his 16th save in as many chances, extending the longest streak by a Detroit pitcher since Todd Jones saved 19 straight games in 2006.

Rodney, though, made it interesting by giving up a leadoff homer to Micah Hoffpauir to cut Detroit's lead to one and allowing a two-out double to Kosuke Fukudome. Rodney struck out pinch-hitter Geovany Soto to end it.

Ted Lilly (7-5) allowed six runs and 10 hits in six innings and lost for the first time in a month.

Jake Fox's first homer in the majors, a three-run shot in the first, gave the Cubs an early lead.

Ramon Santiago's two-run homer in the third pulled the Tigers within a run and they tied the game on Ryan Raburn's RBI double in the fourth.

NOTES: The Cubs took OF Milton Bradley out of the lineup, but manager Lou Piniella said "call it a day off," seemingly to play down the decision. ... Cubs IF Aaron Miles (elbow) was injured in a batting cage and will be evaluated Friday. ... The Tigers were encouraged by the latest report on Carlos Guillen, who has been on the DL since May 5 with a shoulder injury. ...

Piniella has no problem with a coach from Japan visiting previously slumping Fukudome. "We can bring in the whole Japanese hitting academy if it's going to help him hit," Piniella said. ... Piniella is looking forward opening a three-game series against the White Sox on Friday. "It's a big deal in Chicago," he said. "It gets a little crazy at times, but that's OK." ... Tigers manager Jim Leyland exchanged voice messages with Astros C Ivan Rodriguez, a former Tiger, heading into Detroit's series Friday night in Houston. "The guy is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, no question about it," Leyland said. ... Former Red Wing Chris Chelios, a 47-year-old defenseman who wants to keep playing in the NHL, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... The Cubs activated utility player Ryan Freel from the DL and put OF Reed Johnson on the DL, retroactive to June 21, with back spasms. ... The Tigers also won seven straight in mid-May.

[Associated Press; BY LARRY LAGE]

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