DETROIT -- Victor Martinez smashed a long two-run homer and James McCann added an RBI single in a three-run fourth inning to bring Detroit from behind in a 4-3 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night for the Tigers' ninth win in their last 10 games.
Justin Verlander (12-6) faced a Mets lineup packed with seven left-handed batters and allowed four hits in six innings. He struck out nine and walked one.
Shane Greene and Justin Wilson each worked a scoreless inning and Francisco Rodriguez gave up a ninth-inning run but still notched his 31st save.
Neil Walker singled to lead off the ninth for the Mets, moved to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a groundout and scored on a groundout to first.
Noah Syndergaard (9-6) was betrayed by his off-speed pitches in the fourth, not his upper-90s fastball. He gave up seven hits in six innings, walking two and striking out seven.
Miguel Cabrera lined a 1-2 changeup to left for a single leading off the fourth and Victor Martinez drilled a 1-0 changeup into the seats in right to put the Tigers back on top 3-2. It was Martinez's 19th home run of the season.
J.D. Martinez followed with a double off the wall in right and scored from third when McCann lined a two-out single to right, making it 4-2. A walk and double-play grounder put Martinez at third.
Verlander walked his first batter with one out in the fourth and one out later, Kelly Johnson drove a hanging curve into the right field seats for his sixth home run of the season and a 2-1 Mets advantage.
The Tigers literally stole their way to a 1-0 lead in the first as Ian Kinsler singled, then swiped second and third off the Mets Syndergaard, who has had 47 bases stolen against him in 46 games over his two seasons in the majors.
Cabrera then hit a high chopper to third that got Kinsler across the plate.
NOTES: Mets OF Michael Conforto's mother, Tracie Ruiz-Conforto, won two gold medals in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and a silver in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul in synchronized swimming. ... Each of RF Jay Bruce's last six hits entering Friday have been home runs. ... Detroit signed its 18th international free agent, Australian OF Ulrich Bojarski. ... RHP Jordan Zimmermann will throw a bullpen session Sunday to test the condition of his right lat muscle, which bothered him in his 1 2/3-inning start Thursday. The disabled list remains a possibility.