Field Level Media
Aug 9, 2020
Miguel Cabrera's RBI single in the eighth inning Sunday lifted the visiting Detroit Tigers to 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates and a sweep of their three-game series.
At 1-1 in the eighth and with two outs, Pirates reliever Richard Rodriguez (0-1) hit Jonathan Schoop. With Cabrera up, Rodriguez had a problem with his cleats on delivery and threw a wild pitch toward his own dugout, allowing Schoop to get to second. Cabrera followed with a single to left to drive in Schoop.
Austin Romine added an RBI single for Detroit, which won the first two games of the series by a combined 28-18.
It was the Tigers' first road series sweep since June 2018.
Erik Gonzalez hit an RBI single for Pittsburgh.
Detroit starter Spencer Turnbull (2-0), who snapped a 19-start winless streak his last time out, pitched seven innings, giving up one run and five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
Joe Jimenez pitched a one-two-three ninth for his fifth save.
Scheduled Pirates starter Joe Musgrove was scratched because of ankle soreness. Pittsburgh went with a bullpen day, calling first on left-hander Steven Brault after he gave up four Tigers runs without getting an out in the fifth inning Friday. Brault pitched two scoreless, hitless innings, striking out one and walking one.
Pittsburgh played without utility man Phillip Evans, who left on a stretcher Saturday after colliding with teammate Gregory Polanco. Evans has a concussion and broken jaw and was put on the 45-day IL.
Tigers right fielder Jacoby Jones left after striking out in the top of the third because of abdominal tightness.
Pittsburgh struck first. In the fourth, leadoff hitter Colin Moran was hit by a Turnbull pitch. Moran moved to second on Bryan Reynolds' grounder, to third on J.T. Riddle's grounder and scored on Gonzalez's single to right-center, a shot that went off Schoop's glove at second base.
The Tigers tied it their next time up. Victor Reyes doubled to left-center with one out. He scored on Romine's single to center.
--Field Level Media