Tigers 6, Mariners 2
Torii Hunter broke a tie with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and Miguel Cabrera hit his 44th home run as host Detroit moved closer to its third straight American League Central title.
Don Kelly also hit a solo shot and Austin Jackson drove in two runs during a three-run eighth inning for the Tigers, who maintained their six-game division lead over Cleveland by posting their sixth victory in the last seven games. Al Alburquerque (3-3) retired both batters he faced in the seventh to notch the victory.
Detroit's Anibal Sanchez, who won his previous three starts and eight straight decisions, struck out 10 while allowing two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Raul Ibanez hit his 299th career home run and Kendrys Morales tied it 2-2 when he chased Sanchez with an RBI double for Seattle, which has lost eight of its last nine games.
Alex Avila led off the Tigers' seventh with a triple against Yoervis Medina (4-6) and, after Jose Iglesias walked, Jackson hit a grounder which resulted in Avila getting caught in a rundown long enough to allow Iglesias and Jackson to move to third and second, respectively. Hunter followed with a line drive to center and Iglesias easily beat Abraham Almonte's wide throw to the plate.
Seattle loaded the bases with one out in the eighth against Phil Coke on two walks and an error before Jose Alvarez entered and retired Mike Zunino on a 4-6-3 double play following an 11-pitch at-bat. Omar Infante delivered an RBI single for the Tigers' first run in the eighth inning.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cabrera matched a career high set last season with his opposite-field shot in the sixth inning that gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead. ... The 41-year-old Ibanez tied Barry Bonds, who hit 28 in 2007, for second-most homers in a season among players 40 or older. Ted Williams hit 29 in 1960 - his final campaign. Ibanez also ended Sanchez's scoreless innings streak at 19 1/3. ... Seattle starter Brandon Maurer allowed two runs and five hits while striking out six in five innings.