Moya helps power Tigers over Mariners
DETROIT -- Rookie Steven Moya hit a pair of home runs and veteran Miguel Cabrera added one Wednesday night 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, subbing for injured right fielder J.D. Martinez for at least a month, cracked both home runs off Hisashi Iwakuma (6-6), who gave up the three home runs among the 11 hits he allowed in his 4 2/3 innings.
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.
Seattle dropped to .500 (36-36) after losing for the 10th time in 13 games and 18 of its last 26.
Moya hit his second home run of the game and third of the season with two outs and the bases empty in the fifth. The fly ball into the Detroit bullpen in left gave the Tigers a 5-1 lead.
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.
Moya hit his first home run of the game to lead off the fourth, a low liner near the line in right that cleared the wall close to the 330-foot marker by a couple of feet, making it 4-0.
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.