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 Davis made a home-run saving catch and Sanchez went on to toss 7 2/3
shutout innings in the Detroit Tigers' 6-0 victory over the Chicago
Cubs on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.
Sanchez (4-7) pumped his fist when Davis robbed Cubs catcher David
Ross of a two-run homer in the second.
"That was amazing," said Sanchez, who scattered six hits and struck
out seven to record his first win since May 14. "He brought me back.
That play gave me more energy to continue to throw better balls and
execute all my pitches."
Davis, the Tigers' center fielder, felt a little more energy going
up during his leap against the left-center wall.
"I felt like I had some springs in my legs on that one, some extra
springs," he said. "I don't know where they came from but they were
there."
Detroit left fielder Yoenis Cespedes threw out a runner at home in
the fifth and the offense was also clicking, pounded out 13 hits.
The Tigers (31-28) have won three straight after eight consecutive
losses.
"We're playing with a little more sense of urgency and the guys are
rolling," said Davis, who had two extra-base hits and scored twice.
"The guys are hitting the ball well. We're getting some timely hits
and we're able to put together rallies."
Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who has reached base safely in
27 consecutive games, smacked three singles and drove in a run.
Second baseman Ian Kinsler contributed two hits and two RBI as every
player in the Detroit lineup had at least one hit.
Reliever Joba Chamberlain struck out Chicago designated hitter
Miguel Montero with the bases loaded in the eighth. Alex Wilson
finished off the shutout in the ninth.
Cubs ace Jon Lester (4-5) failed to get out of the fifth inning,
allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out five.
"It's not like they just beat him up badly," Cubs manager Joe Maddon
said of Lester. "The hits were just well-placed, and he never really
could seem to find a real rhythm or groove. But I thought early on
his stuff was pretty solid."
Shortstop Starlin Castro had two of the eight hits for Chicago
(30-26). Detroit's outfield plays led to the shutout.
"They really kind of beat us with their defense tonight," Maddon
said. "That (Ross' long fly) could have really changed the momentum
of the game. It was a great play by Davis and then the play at the
plate, those are two huge plays. I know they've been playing better
defense this year and it showed up."
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Davis scored the game's first run when he led off the bottom of the
first with a double, advanced on a passed ball and scored on
Cabrera's single, his 39th RBI of the season.
Designated hitter Nick Castellanos made it 3-0 with a two-run single
in the third that knocked in Cabrera and Cespedes.
Davis' one-out triple sparked the Tigers' two-run fifth that gave
Detroit a five-run lead. He scored on Kinsler's double. Lester was
removed after walking the next two batters, and right fielder J.D.
Martinez followed with an RBI single off reliever Edwin Jackson.
Kinsler added an RBI single in the sixth.
NOTES: The Cubs signed 35-year-old RHP Rafael Soriano to a
minor-league contract on Tuesday. Soriano saved 117 games over the
past three seasons but lost his closer's role with the Washington
Nationals last September. "We've just to get him ready to go and see
how he fits in," manager Joe Maddon said. ... Tigers RHP Justin
Verlander will make his first start of the season against Cleveland
on Saturday, manager Brad Ausmus said. Verlander has been sidelined
since the end of spring training with a right triceps strain. ...
Detroit C Alex Avila, who has been on 15-day disabled list since May
8 with a loose body in his left knee, had an MRI after experiencing
soreness during the team's trip to Chicago over the weekend. "It
doesn't seem to be anything alarming at this point," Ausmus said.
Avila's rehab program will be halted for the time being. ... The
Cubs' last win at Detroit was July 7, 2001. They were swept in a
three-game series during their last trip in 2009.
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