LDN - Sports

Moya helps power Tigers over Mariners

[June 23, 2016] DETROIT -- Rookie Steven Moya is off to a good start in the roughly 30 days he will have to show the Detroit Tigers he is capable of being a solid major league player.

Moya hit a pair of home runs Wednesday night and veteran Miguel Cabrera added one to take over sole possession of 49th place on the all-time home run list and power the Detroit Tigers to a 5-1 victory over Seattle and their third straight win over the Mariners.

Moya was handed the job of regular right fielder, at least against right-handers, on June 18, the day after J.D. Martinez suffered a non-displaced fracture of a bone in his right elbow that will keep him out of action for at least a month.

Since then Moya is 8-for-21 with three solo home runs -- his first three in the majors -- and four strikeouts in his five starts.

"I'm just trying to relax," Moya said after hitting his first home run down the right field line and his second over the left field wall. "I'm trying to play game, have fun. That's what I try to do."

Both home runs came off Hisashi Iwakuma (6-6), who gave up the three home runs among the 11 hits he allowed in his 4 2/3 innings.

"He'll go to all fields," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "He's got power to all fields, including center here.

"He's worked very hard to be more selective, lay off pitches out of the zone, cut down his strikeouts. He's done a nice job."

Lefty reliever Kyle Ryan (2-2) got the win after he came on with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth and struck out pinch-hitter Franklin Gutierrez and got Robinson Cano to ground out to end the inning.

He worked a three-batter sixth before turning the game over to Shane Greene, Justin Wilson and Francisco Rodriguez for an inning each. None of the four relievers gave up a hit, and starter Michael Fulmer gave up just three.

"Kyle Ryan was definitely the key," Ausmus said. "To come in with the bases loaded and get those two guys, one of them being Robinson Cano, that was an outstanding job. His second inning was real sharp as well."

Seattle dropped to .500 (36-36) after losing for the 10th time in 13 games and 18 of its last 26.

"That was not a good game," manager Scott Servais of Seattle said. "It wasn't a good night.

"I thought we had a shot with the bases loaded (in the fifth). We needed a big hit. We didn't get it."

Moya's second home run of the game gave the Tigers a 5-1 lead. His first, an inning earlier, made it 4-0.

Iwakuma "gave up a lot of hits," Servais said. "He wasn't quite as sharp as he has been lately. But it wasn't like he was putting the ball in the middle of the plate.

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Tigers left fielder Steven Moya (33) and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (39) celebrate after defeating the Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park. Detroit won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

"We've learned a lot about our team and what we're capable of doing. Unfortunately things have flipped lately. We've got to get it back on track. Plenty of teams have been in this spot before. We're capable. We've just got to do it."

The rookie Fulmer had control problems even before hitting two batters and walking one in the fifth to hand Seattle a run. Fulmer plunked Norichika Aoki and Leonys Martin back-to-back with runners on first and second and one out to force in the run and chase the Tigers starter from the game.

Although he gave up just one run, Fulmer had problem throwing first-pitch strikes and was frequently down in the count. He threw 74 pitches (42 strikes) in 4 1/3 innings, getting three strikeouts and walking just the one.

"I could tell early on he wasn't very sharp in the first inning," Ausmus sadi. "We were kind of on high alert."

Detroit took a 3-0 lead in the second on a two-run double off the left field wall by Jose Iglesias.

Cabrera lined his 16th home run into the seats in left, about halfway up the stands, with two outs and nobody on in the first inning. It was the 424th of his career, and it allowed Cabrera to pass Adrian Beltre for 49th on the all-time homer list.

NOTES: Seattle added a pitcher to its bullpen, signing former Mariner RHP Tom Wilhelmsen. Seattle also optioned RHP Jonathan Aro to Triple-A Tacoma. ... Detroit summoned LHP Daniel Norris from Triple-A Toledo to start Thursday's game against Seattle. The Tigers will remove a player from the roster Thursday. ... The Mariners filled a rotation spot by acquiring LHP Wade LeBlanc from Toronto for cash or a player to be named later. LeBlanc will start Friday's contest. ... Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler observed his 34th birthday on Wednesday. He entered the game batting .308 with a home run and four RBIs on his birthday.

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