Tigers 10, Cardinals 4
ST. LOUIS -- Miguel Cabrera became his country's all-time leading home run hitter Friday night as the Detroit Tigers started a marquee interleague series with a statement win.
The Venezuelan first baseman launched his 399th career homer, surpassing former major leaguer Andres Galarraga, to key Detroit's late-game explosion that led to a 10-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at sold-out Busch Stadium.
Cabrera's two-run blast off reliever Mitch Harris to center field in the top of the seventh inning gave the Tigers (22-14) a 4-0 lead. It was followed by a solo shot by right fielder J.D. Martinez, his eighth homer of the season.
Cabrera also started a four-run ninth with a single, scoring on a two-run double by left fielder Yoenis Cespedes. Catcher James McCann added three hits, including an RBI double, and center fielder Anthony Gose also produced three hits and an RBI.
Starter Shane Greene (4-2) pitched five scoreless innings before leaving with right ulnar neuritis. Greene scattered five hits, walking two and fanning four.
Shortstop Jhonny Peralta and right fielder Jason Heyward clouted two-run homers for St. Louis (24-11), which drew within 6-4 on Heyward's blast in the eighth.
Starter Carlos Martinez (3-2) absorbed the loss, giving up seven hits and two runs in five-plus innings while walking two and tying a career high with eight strikeouts.
Detroit opened the scoring in the top of the second when Cespedes launched his fifth homer of the season to left center, pulling a hanging 1-2 curve 412 feet into the Tigers' bullpen.
The visitors made it 2-0 in the fifth as Gose rifled a leadoff triple off the right field wall, then scored on a sacrifice fly to right by second baseman Ian Kinsler.
St. Louis wasted decent scoring opportunities in the second and fourth as Greene used his opposite number, Martinez, as a bailout. Greene fanned Martinez with the bases loaded in the second, then retired him on a bunt to leave men at first and second in the fourth.
NOTES: St. Louis LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder) was scheduled to make his second rehab start Friday night for Double-A Springfield at Northwest Arkansas. ... Detroit RHP Justin Verlander (right triceps strain) threw 35 pitches in a bullpen session Friday. Verlander was disabled on March 29. ... Cardinals 1B Matt Adams was benched for Mark Reynolds, even though RHP Shane Greene was pitching. The left-handed-hitting Adams went 1-for-21 on the team's six-game road trip, dropping his average to .236.