San Francisco Giants vs Detroit Tigers Match Player Stats On Jul 04, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 4, 2017

DETROIT -- Justin Upton's third hit of the day, a tie-breaking line two-run single to left with two out in the seventh inning on Tuesday, lifted the Detroit Tigers to a 5-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants and quieted for at least one day talk they would be dismantling their team later in the month.

All-Star Michael Fulmer (8-6) served up two home runs after not giving up one since April 29. He struck out five, walked one and gave up five hits over eight innings.

Justin Wilson pitched the ninth and got his ninth save.

Nicholas Castellanos started the eighth with a single to center and Mikie Mahtook chopped a single to deep short. Jose Iglesias bunted but Castellanos was thrown out at third by Matt Cain (3-8).

Reliever George Kontos got Ian Kinsler to fly to right but Alex Avila hit a single into the shift in short right and Upton, playing for the first time since Saturday due to a sore right side, slashed a 2-0 single to left to break a 3-3 tie. Upton doubled twice and walked previously.

Brandon Belt lined a double to right center with one out in the seventh, the first hit Fulmer allowed since the third, and Brandon Crawford lofted his seventh home run just past the railing atop the wall in right center, retying the score at 3.

Upton walked to open the fourth and Miguel Cabrera singled. Victor Martinez drove Upton in with a single to right, breaking the 1-1 tie, and Castellanos scored Cabrera with a first-pitch sacrifice fly to center.

The teams swapped early solo home runs to create a 1-1 tie.

Hunter Pence swatted his sixth with two out in the first off Fulmer, who went 74 1/3 innings between over-the-fence blasts. Victor Martinez countered for Detroit with his sixth, which also went over the right-field fence for his sixth home run.

Detroit entered the day with a 36-45 record that was its worst after 81 games since losing 119 contests in 2003 and speculation has increased that the Tigers would be dealing some of their bigger contracts as the July 31 non-waiver deal deadline approached.

NOTES: It was RHP Michael Fulmer's suggestion he move up a spot in the rotation so he could pitch Tuesday and Sunday. "We thought about it for maybe 10 seconds," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said, "and said, 'Yeah, that's probably a pretty good idea.'" ... San Francisco 3B Eduardo Nunez was recalled from his rehab assignment when he didn't feel right after five innings for Double-A Richmond. He'll get treatment with the Giants. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy said C Buster Posey would DH the first two games of his team's interleague set in Detroit. ... LF Justin Upton returned to the Tigers' lineup Tuesday after missing three games with a sore right side but 1B Miguel Cabrera left after six with left hip tightness.