Tigers 4, Mariners 2
Rick Porcello struck out 10 in six innings and Victor Martinez broke a tie with an RBI single in the sixth as host Detroit won for the fifth time in its last six games.
Omar Infante and Torii Hunter each had two hits an an RBI for first-place Detroit, which moved six games ahead of Cleveland in the American League Central. Porcello (13-8) allowed one run and five hits while Joaquin Benoit worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth before recording his 21st save in as many chances.
Rookie Abraham Almonte homered and Justin Smoak added an RBI single for Seattle, which lost for the seventh time in its last eight games. Joe Saunders (11-15) allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings while falling to 3-7 since the All-Star break.
Seattle fell behind 1-0 for the second straight game on a wild pitch in the first inning as Hunter scampered home after singling with one out and advancing to third on Miguel Cabrera's hit. Almonte tied it in the third, when he drilled a 2-2 pitch the opposite way to right for his second home run.
Cabrera walked with two outs in the sixth inning and, after Prince Fielder singled, Martinez hit a bouncer down the first-base line to drive in a run. Infante followed with a run-scoring single to chase Saunders, while Hunter's two-out RBI base hit in the seventh made it 4-1.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Saunders has allowed a major league-high 226 hits. ... Seattle fell to 30-30 at Comerica Park after losing for only the third time in their last 12 games in Detroit. ... Porcello is 9-2 in 13 starts since the beginning of July while lowering his ERA from 5.21 to 4.45.