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The AL Central-leading Tigers improved to
43-24, while the NL Central-best Cubs fell to 40-25 in the first
matchup this season of 40-win teams. According to the Elias
Sports Bureau, June 8 matched the earliest such matchup since
2004. The Yankees and Dodgers played the first such game of last
season, also on June 8.
Flaherty (5-6) allowed two hits and three walks. After a rough
start, the 29-year-old right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.46 ERA and
29 strikeouts in his last four starts.
Cubs rookie starter Cade Horton (3-1) took his first career
loss, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks in six
innings.
Detroit took a 2-0 lead on Spencer Torkelson's two-run double in
the first and Flaherty retired the first nine batters he faced.
Chicago rallied in the fourth, getting four baserunners but
failing to score. Ian Happ and Kyle Tucker led off with walks,
and Pete Crow-Armstrong lined a one-out single to right. Right
fielder Kerry Carpenter threw Happ out at the plate. Carson
Kelly walked to load the bases before Parker Meadows made a
jumping catch of Michael Busch's 107-mph liner to center.
The Tigers doubled the lead in the fifth on a two-run double by
Riley Greene.
Key moment
After Dansby Swanson's lead-off double in the fifth, Nico
Hoerner took a 2-2 pitch that Statcast showed to be low and
inside. Home plate Derek Thomas called it strike three, then
quickly ejected Hoerner after he turned to complain. Cubs
manager Craig Counsell was also ejected before the argument
ended.
Key stat
The game drew a crowd of 40,343, the third sellout of the
weekend after the Tigers had only sold out two games all season.
The weekend total of 121,509 is the second-highest series
attendance for a three-game series since August 2014.
Up next
The Cubs travel to Philadelphia for a three-game series starting
Monday. Starting pitchers have not been announced.
The Tigers are off on Monday before RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-0.
7.36) is scheduled to start on Tuesday against the Baltimore
Orioles.
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