The Sports Xchange
Jul 6, 2017
DETROIT -- Dixon Machado hit his first major league homer and Anibal Sanchez collected his first victory of the season as the Detroit Tigers defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-2 on Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park.
Machado's two-run homer highlighted a three-run second inning for the Tigers (38-46), who finished off a 5-4 homestand. Alex Presley had two hits and drove in two runs and Nicholas Castellanos added two hits, including his American League-leading sixth triple, with a run scored and an RBI.
Sanchez (1-0), who was making his 15th appearance this season, recorded his first victory since Aug. 23 of last season against Minnesota. He limited the Giants to two runs on five hits and struck out a season-high eight over six innings.
The Giants' scheduled starter, Johnny Cueto, was a late scratch because of an inner ear infection. Chris Stratton (0-2) made his first major league start in his place and lasted 6 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits while walking five. The right-hander had made nine relief appearances for the Giants over the past two seasons.
Joe Panik had an RBI triple and also scored for the Giants (34-53), who had won seven of their previous eight games.
Miguel Cabrera's RBI single in the first put the Tigers in front. Castellanos sparked a three-run second with his leadoff triple. Presley's single knocked him in and, one out later, Machado blasted a 1-1 pitch into the left-field stands.
Presley had another run-scoring single in the third inning to make it 5-0.
The Giants broke through in the sixth on Panik's RBI triple and Hunter Pence's run-scoring groundout.
Castellanos' RBI single in the eighth off Kyle Crick completed the scoring.
NOTES: Detroit LHP Daniel Norris was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Thursday with a left groin strain. He has allowed five earned runs in each of his last three outings. LHP Blaine Hardy was recalled from Triple-A Toledo to take his roster spot. ... Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner was rocked for nine runs, including four homers, in a Class A rehab start for San Jose on Wednesday. Bumgarner, who pitched four innings, is scheduled to have another rehab start on Monday with the possibility of returning to the Giants next weekend. ... Tigers DH Victor Martinez, who has 1,999 career hits, got the day off. ... Despite the loss, San Francisco finished its road trip with a 4-2 record. It's the Giants' first winning road trip since they went 3-2 at Oakland and Arizona a year ago on June 29-July 3.