Castellanos on the trade block?

While the Tigers were ultimately able to avoid an arbitration hearing with Nicholas Castellanos, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports that Detroit remains open to trading the rising slugger, citing multiple clubs that have engaged in discussions with the Tigers this offseason.

Castellanos, 25, agreed to a one-year, $6.05 million contract with the Tigers on Friday. Detroit's first-round Draft choice from 2010 is about to embark on his first full season in right field, but Fenech reports that the Tigers' uncertainty about his defensive ability could still lead to a trade before Opening Day. Castellanos has primarily manned third base during his first four full seasons in the Motor City, but he has rated below average in terms of Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in each of those campaigns. He played 21 games in right last season.

Castellanos' prowess at the plate is much less in doubt. He broke out for a career-high 26 home runs and 101 RBIs for the Tigers in 2017 while recording a league-adjusted 110 OPS+ (where 100 is average) and pacing the American League with 10 triples. He was even more productive in some respects in '16, finishing with a 120 OPS+ over 110 games. While Castellanos will be eligible for arbitration again next winter, he will not test the free-agent market until 2020. That means Castellanos, for the moment, represents a controllable, relatively cheap hitter coming into his own -- regardless of his defensive ability.

Tigers general manager Al Avila revealed at the Winter Meetings that the team approached Castellanos about a contract extension toward the end of last season, but that no progress has been made.

Granite's HR highlights 8-run eighth as Twins rout Tigers

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- A big inning was big for the surging Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota scored eight times in the eighth inning Saturday night, capped by rookie Zach Granite's three-run homer, to earn a come-from-behind 10-4 victory over Detroit that was the Tigers' sixth straight loss.

The Twins lead Texas, Kansas City and the Los Angeles Angels by 4 1/2 games for the American League's second wild-card spot.

"That's a really good win," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It didn't look particularly good. (Tigers' starter Matthew) Boyd's been on a good run. He had us baffled a little bit.

"Doz (Brian Dozier) had the bunt to lead off the game. ... He got another single but I think we only had two hits going into the seventh inning before we got the double and the single to cut it to one."

Ervin Santana (16-8) gave up four straight hits at the start of the game but only three thereafter in his seven innings, during which he struck out five and didn't walk a batter. Santana retired 18 of 20 after the first inning.

"Give Ervin a lot of credit," Molitor said. "It looked like he had a little rough start. He didn't catch many breaks. Couple balls painted down the right field line. Couple other things that happened.

"But he settled in really nicely and other than the changeup he kind of left up for (Efren) Navarro he had a solid seven innings for us.

"I'm glad we're able to pick up a win for the team first and get another for Ervin in his win column too."

Alan Busenitz pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Gabriel Moya the ninth to finish the win and make Minnesota's lead in the American League second wild-card chase four games over Texas, which played later Saturday. Moya gave up Navarro's second home run of the game leading off the ninth.

Tigers reliever Alex Wilson took a line drive single by Joe Mauer off his right leg to start the eighth, threw one warm-up pitch and crumpled to the ground. He limped off the field with help and was replaced by Daniel Stumpf. X-Rays showed a non-displaced fracture of near Wilson's right ankle.

"It was numb at first, and then it kinda felt warm," Wilson said. "I was walking around the mound to see whether or not I was going to be able to go. I squatted down, and was able to do that. Of course, it wasn't on the weight-bearing bone.

"So, really, it had no effect. Then I tried to throw a pitch, and I felt a pop. And, obviously, that was the end of the night. And, that's when the pain really started shooting through."

Jorge Polanco greeted Stumpf (0-1) with a single to right and Eddie Rosario forged a 3-3 tie with a single to left. Eduardo Escobar blooped an RBI single into right center to put Minnesota ahead, 4-3.

Reliever Joe Jimenez hit a batter and caught a line drive before giving up a two-run line single to center by Robbie Grossman, making it 6-3. The Twins got another run on a groundout to second by Jason Castro.

Granite, who pinch-ran for Mauer earlier in the inning, completed the eight-run inning by hitting his first major league home run, off Blaine Hardy. Granite's three-run blast went to right field.

Granite became the first Minnesota Twin to pinch-run and hit a home run in the same inning and the first major leaguer to do so since 2001.

"Unfortunate for them that their guy gets knocked out," Molitor said. "Not surprisingly Joe's the guy to get us going. That was a huge hit leading off the inning there and Polanco followed up with a good at-bat and Rosie. One after another, next thing you know we put eight up there."

The Twins cut the gap to 3-2 and chased Boyd in the seventh. Ehire Adrianza, an early sub for injured Max Kepler, doubled to left center with one out and scored when Grossman followed with a single.

Boyd, in his first start since his near no-hitter Sunday, lasted 6 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts. The first run he allowed was unearned.

"He's been outstanding," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said of his lefty. "He's been much better since he cleaned up his mechanics. The last two outings have been superb. He got us deep in the game. We just had trouble getting the ball to (closer Shane) Greene."

Navarro entered the game when Miguel Cabrera left after one inning with a lower back strain. He cranked a high changeup into the seats in right for his first home run to put the Tigers ahead, 3-1, with one out in the sixth.

Detroit opened its half of the first with four straight hits good for a 2-1 lead against Santana. Ian Kinsler doubled to right and scored on a ground single to right by Alex Presley. Cabrera blooped a single near the line in right and Nicholas Castellanos plopped an RBI single into short left.

Dozier gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead to open the game with a bunt single to third on which he ended up scoring when Jeimer Candelario threw the ball past first for a three-base error. The error was his fourth in nine games.

NOTES: Tigers OF Mikie Mahtook's return this season is doubtful after he was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left groin strain suffered Friday night, a recurrence of an injury that struck him earlier this month. ... Twins manager Paul Molitor says RHP Bartolo Colon is set to open Minnesota's three-game series at Cleveland on Tuesday night. ... RHP Jeff Ferrell of Detroit, struck on the head by a line drive Monday night, remains in MLB's concussion protocol with no time set for a possible return. ... RF Max Kepler was removed from Saturday night's game after one inning and being examined for a left hip injury.

Royals' Perez hits two homers in rout of Tigers

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Salvador Perez has increased his home run total every year of his career. The Kansas City Royals catcher reached another milestone on Wednesday.

Perez smacked two homers for his fourth career multi-homer game, and the Kansas City Royals manhandled the Detroit Tigers 13-2 at Comerica Park.

Perez, who drove in three runs, has three home runs over the past three games. He has a career-high 24 homers this season after blasting 22 last season. He never had more than 17 in his first four seasons but has reached the 20-homer mark each of the past three years.

"Every year, I feel you're doing something different than the year before, something special for yourself," Perez said. "I feel happy about that."

Kansas City leadoff hitter Whit Merrifield also delivered some thunder with three doubles. He scored twice and knocked in three runs for the Royals (69-69), who took two of three in the series.

"He's been kind of an igniter at the top of the order, but there was plenty of praise to go around from an offensive standpoint," Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Alcides Escobar supplied four hits, two runs and an RBI for Kansas City.

Royals starter Jason Hammel (8-10) gave up two runs on nine hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked just two, pleasing his manager by throwing 73 of his 111 pitches for strikes.

"That's most of it, and he pounded it with a really good fastball with good action on it and a really good slider," Yost said. "At times, the slider was inconsistent, but when it was good, it was really, really good."

Hammel's efforts also helped preserve some bullpen arms for a pivotal four-game series against Minnesota, one of the teams the Royals are chasing for a wild-card spot. The Twins, who hold the second American League wild-card position, are 2 1/2 games up on Kansas City.

"Our bullpen was really thin," Yost said. "Our bullpen's had, pretty much all of them, one day off for the most part. It's really big to protect our lefties with the big series against Minnesota coming up. They've got a lot of switch hitters, a lot of left-handed hitters. Having all our lefties with two days' rest is going to be a big benefit for us."

Detroit starter Matthew Boyd (5-9) allowed four runs on seven hits in six-plus innings. Ian Kinsler hit a solo homer for the Tigers (59-80), who have lost six of their past seven.

The game was tied at 2 before Kansas City's four-run, seventh-inning outburst.

Alex Gordon poked an opposite-field double to score Escobar, who led off the inning with a double. Boyd was removed for Warwick Saupold, who promptly gave up a run-scoring double to Merrifield. Lorenzo Cain brought home Merrifield with a single. The Royals scored another run on a passed ball.

"I thought (Boyd) threw the ball well," Detroit catcher James McCann said. "A little tough luck in his last inning with the double by Gordon. He placed it in perfectly. But other than that, (Boyd) took another step in the right direction tonight."

Merrifield and Eric Hosmer smacked two-run doubles and Perez hit a two-run shot during the Royals' seven-run eighth.

"Today was a good game until the sixth," Kinsler said. "It was a 2-2 game. I thought Boyd pitched well, Hammel threw the ball pretty well, and then after that, the wheels kind of fell off."

Perez homered in the second inning to put the Royals on the board. Kansas City added another run in the inning on Escobar's two-out, RBI triple.

John Hicks scored on Mike Moustakas' error in the fourth for Detroit's first run.

Kinsler tied it when he smoked the first pitch he saw in the fifth into the left field stands.

NOTES: Kansas City 3B Mike Moustakas left the game in the seventh due to right lateral knee irritation. ... Tigers SS Jose Iglesias was placed on the three-day paternity list on Wednesday. He is expected to rejoin the team during its weekend series in Toronto. ... Detroit RHP Anibal Sanchez departed after facing one batter against Kansas City on Tuesday with a right calf contusion but could return this weekend. Sanchez might start against Toronto on Sunday, manager Brad Ausmus announced. ... C Salvador Perez's second-inning homer gave Kansas City 169 for the season, a franchise record. The Royals hit 168 in 1987.

Astros acquire Verlander to bolster rotation

The Tigers dealt a franchise icon while the first-place Astros boosted their postseason prospects when veteran ace Justin Verlander was traded from Detroit to Houston on Thursday night.

The Astros sent right-handed pitcher Franklin Perez, outfielder Daz Cameron and catcher Jake Rogers to Detroit for Verlander, a 34-year-old right-hander.

The teams reportedly completed the deal seconds before the 11:59 ET trade deadline, meaning Verlander will be eligible for postseason play.

Verlander, who is making $28 million this season and in 2018-19 with a $22 million vesting option for 2020, has a 183-114 record with a 3.49 ERA and 2,373 strikeouts in 13 major league seasons, all with Detroit.

A six-time All-Star, Verlander was selected the AL Most Valuable Player and unanimously voted the AL Cy Young Award winner in 2011. He was also named the AL Rookie of the Year in 2006.

"We get him for two more years on his contract," Astros owner Jim Crane told Fox 26. "We got a really good team intact for the next few years. We think it's a big boost for the team and the city. We're excited about it. We're always trying to improve the team. It's like a Carlos Beltran. (Verlander) can add a dimension we don't have. We're trying to win. If we get a shot to win, we're going to lean in."

This season, Verlander is 10-8 with a 3.82 ERA and 176 strikeouts.

"On behalf of the Detroit Tigers, we sincerely thank Justin Verlander for his remarkable 13 seasons of dedication to the organization," Tigers general manager Al Avila said. "Justin has been the face of consistency over the course of his career, and a pillar for baseball in the City of Detroit. He is someone who I believe to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. We wish Justin all the best as he starts a new chapter in his illustrious career. ...

"We're thrilled to get three great prospects from one of the highest ranked farm systems in baseball. All three players are outstanding athletes, and they greatly bolster our minor league system."

Perez, 19, is ranked as the 32nd-best prospect in baseball and the second-best prospect in the Astros organization according to Baseball America and the 46th-best prospect in baseball and the third-best prospect in the Houston system by MLB Pipeline.

"Perez was the headliner for us, cementing himself as a dominant force in each of his three years in professional baseball," Avila said.

Cameron, 20, is rated as the ninth-best prospect in the Astros organization by MLB Pipeline. The center fielder has spent the entire 2017 season with Class A Quad Cities and is hitting .271 with 79 runs, 29 doubles, eight triples, 14 home runs, 73 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.

He is the son of former major-league Mike Cameron.

"Daz Cameron is someone that we view as one of the highest-ceiling players in the minors," Avila said. "Cameron is a guy that slipped in the draft because of signability concerns, but has always shown flashes of his dad's play."

Rogers, 22, is ranked as the 11th-best prospect in the Astros system by MLB Pipeline. In his first full season in professional baseball, Rogers has played in 110 games in Class A ball, hitting .263 with 60 runs, 25 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs and 70 RBIs.

"Rogers plays beyond his years, demonstrating solid pop in his bat while having above average plate discipline, and our scouts have him rated as a reliable receiver behind the plate with an above average arm," Avila said.

Tigers beat Yankees in brawl-filled encounter

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Pitches buzzed heads, tempers flared, fists flew and thumbs were extended. The New York Yankees-Detroit Tigers game on Thursday turned in a giant fiasco.

The Tigers emerged with a tension-packed 10-6 victory that included eight ejections and three benches-clearing incidents at Comerica Park.

"You don't see games like this very often, for good reason, because of injury concerns," said Detroit manager Brad Ausmus, who drew one of the ejections. "I hope I never see one again."

Tigers cleanup hitter and 11-time All-Star Miguel Cabrera and Yankees catcher Austin Romine were tossed after a benches-clearing brawl during the sixth inning. Yankees manager Joe Girardi and relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle had just been ejected after Kahnle threw a pitch behind Cabrera in the sixth.

Yankees reliever Dellin Betances and bench coach Rob Thomson were ejected in the bottom of the seventh after Betances drilled Tigers catcher James McCann in the helmet with a 98 mph fastball.

Detroit reliever Alex Wilson was tossed after hitting New York third baseman Todd Frazier with a pitch in the eighth. Ausmus was ejected after that incident.

The scuffle between Cabrera and Romine began after reliever Aroldis Chapman finished his warmup pitches following Kahnle's ejection. Cabrera approached the plate and exchanged words with Romine. Romine removed his mask and Cabrera shoved him with both hands and then threw punches while Romine wrestled him to the ground.

Ironically, Romine is the brother of Tigers utility player Andrew Romine.

"First of all, when they threw at me, it was OK. I was cool with that," Cabrera said. "They started to argue with the umpire and I said to Romine to calm down. He said, "I'm not talking to you" and I said 'Oh, wow.' ... When I got back to home plate, I tell him, 'You got any (bleeping) problem with me?' He said, 'Why?' I said because I try to calm (things) down and you try to act tough. And he said something like, 'You want to fight?'"

Detroit starter Michael Fulmer hit Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez with a pitch the previous inning. Sanchez homered four times during the series, including a fourth-inning solo blast on Thursday.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Fulmer hit Sanchez intentionally. The Tigers said Fulmer, who recently came off the disabled list with elbow irritation, felt a 'zinger' when he released the ball.

"If you can't see that Fulmer clearly hit Sanchez on purpose, there's something wrong," Girardi said. "I think it could have really been avoidable."

Girardi was steamed at the umpires in general afterward. He was especially upset that Betances was tossed by crew chief Dana DeMuth after home plate umpire Carlos Torres didn't. Girardi also felt Torres expanded his strike zone in the latter innings.

"That doesn't make a lot of sense to me," Girardi said of the Betances ejection. "To me, there's a lot of confusion and that's not to mention the strike zone late in the game. Just a very poor job on their part, very, very poor."

The game was essentially decided three batters after Betances hit McCann, who didn't feel Betances did it intentionally. Jose Iglesias hit a bases-clearing double to break a 6-all tie.

Iglesias had three hits and drove in four runs, while Justin Upton and McCann hit solo homers for Detroit (55-71). Wilson (2-4) pitched an inning-plus of scoreless relief to collect the win. Shane Greene got five outs to record his fourth save.

Sanchez and Aaron Hicks drove in two runs apiece and Brett Gardner had four hits for the Yankees (68-58).

New York scored three runs the inning after the Cabrera-Romine brawl to tie it at 6-6. Gardner and Sanchez had run-scoring singles and Hicks contributed a sacrifice fly, though left fielder Upton robbed him of a homer.

Iglesias answered with his bases-clearing double in the bottom off the inning off left-center off David Robertson. Betances (3-5) was tagged with the loss.

"We did a nice job fighting back, excuse the expression, and holding on for the win," Ausmus said.

NOTES: Detroit DH Victor Martinez got the day off. Martinez had just three hits in 17 at-bats (.176) during the homestand. ... Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler has 13 home runs this season and all have been solo shots. He's the first major leaguer to have 13 consecutive solo homers from the start of a season since the first 14 of Shin-Soo Choo's 21 home runs for Cincinnati in 2013 were solo shots. ... The Yankees play 24 of their remaining 36 games at home. ... Yankees manager Joe Girardi has now been ejected 36 times in his managerial career, including four this season.

Sanchez powers Yankees over Tigers

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Gary Sanchez continued his power surge with his third homer in two games. A couple of his teammates hopped on the bandwagon.

The New York Yankees have regained their offensive groove, battering the soft underbelly of the Detroit Tigers' pitching staff.

The Yankees reached double digits for the second straight night, rolling to a 10-2 victory on Wednesday at Comerica Park.

Didi Gregorius and Chase Headley also smacked solo shots, while Ronald Torreyes supplied a career-high-tying four hits.

New York, which won the series opener 13-4, scored in double digits in back-to-back games for the first time since piling up a combined 30 runs against Baltimore June 10-11.

"I think hitting can be contagious, I really do," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We're getting contributions up and down the lineup. When we were going really well as an offense, that's what we were doing. It wasn't just coming from one spot, so that's really good to see."

Sanchez once again led the charge. He homered in the first inning and added a two-run single in the third. The catcher had a pair of two-run homers during the series opener on Tuesday. He has homered in six of the past nine games, and he has nine long balls over the past 14 games.

Girardi hinted he would keep Sanchez's hot bat in the lineup as a designated hitter on Thursday.

"I might," he said. "We'll see what we do tomorrow, but, yeah, he's going really well."

Luis Severino (11-5) collected a victory for the sixth time in his last seven starts. He limited the Tigers to one run on six hits and a walk while striking out eight in 6 2/3 innings.

He enjoyed working with a big cushion.

"I try to compete every time they give me the ball but when you go out there and see six runs, it's good," Severino said.

Gregorius and Headley drove in two runs apiece for New York (68-57). Torreyes scored once and drove in a run, and Aaron Judge chipped in two hits, including a run-scoring double.

Torreyes is filling in for injured second baseman Starlin Castro. He is batting .328 since the All-Star break.

"He figured out how to do it last year," Girardi said. "He has a pretty simple swing. He understands what he needs to do to be prepared. He works really hard and he's gotten more consistent playing time this year."

Ian Kinsler and Jose Iglesias ripped solo homers for the Tigers (54-71), who have lost 14 of their past 17 games.

Losing pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (7-11) gave up seven runs on nine hits in five innings. He has allowed seven earned runs in each of his past three starts.

"I'm scuffling right now. I'm scuffling bad," Zimmermann said. "The last three outings I did absolutely nothing to help this team win."

Zimmermann admits his confidence is shaken.

"Obviously, when you go through something like this, you're not going to be as confident," he said. "It's just the command right now. I have no clue where it went or what the problem is but I'm going to go back to the drawing board and keep searching."

Sanchez's shot in the first inning didn't travel as far as his monstrous 493-foot blast the previous night, but it still put the Yankees up 1-0.

New York opened a 6-0 lead in the third. Sanchez's bases-loaded single brought home the first two runs. Judge's double to deep center made it 4-0. Gregorius ripped a single up the middle to knock in Sanchez, and Headley's sacrifice fly brought home Judge.

Gregorius clubbed his 19th homer of the season to right-center field in the fifth for a 7-0 lead.

NOTES: Yankees rookie RF Aaron Judge served as the designated hitter on Wednesday. "Physically, I think he's doing pretty well but when you get in a stretch like we're in, 13 (games) in a row, if you can give a guy a DH day, I think it helps him," manager Joe Girardi said. ... New York's Gary Sanchez is just the third catcher in American League history to hit at least 25 homers in a season at age 24 or younger, joining Detroit's Rudy York (1938) and Matt Nokes (1987). ... Detroit RHP Anibal Sanchez threw on flat ground Wednesday for the first time since going on the disabled list with a hamstring strain. ... Tigers CF Mikie Mahtook did not start Wednesday, though he appeared as a defensive replacement. He has gone hitless in his past 13 at-bats.

Yankees pound Tigers; Judge halts strikeout streak

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Their ace pitcher returned from a shoulder injury and looked sharp. Their celebrated slugger finally ended a streak he never wanted to own.

It was a good night all around for the New York Yankees, who pummeled the Detroit Tigers 13-4 on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.

Masahiro Tanaka came off the disabled list and pitched seven solid innings, and Aaron Judge's record-breaking strikeout streak ended at 37 games.

Tanaka (9-10) was making his first start since Aug. 9 after recovering from shoulder inflammation. He held the Tigers to three runs on six hits and no walks while striking out four.

"I felt good. I had a little bit of time off and there was no issue, no problem with the arm," Tanaka said through his translator. "I think I went through the process pretty well. I gradually built up the strength of it and got ready for the game, so I wasn't worried about it at all."

Judge had struck out at least once in 37 consecutive games dating back to July 8. The streak was a single-season major league record, and it matched the all-time record set by Montreal Expos pitcher Bill Stoneman from 1971 to '72.

The rookie slugger walked on full counts during his first three trips to the plate and added an RBI single. Jacoby Ellsbury pinch-hit for Judge in the seventh inning.

Manager Joe Girardi denied that he deliberately pulled Judge to snap the streak. Girardi said he simply wanted to give Judge a little rest.

"I wouldn't have even known about it if you had not told me," he said. "I don't look at those things. It's not like he sat on his average or didn't play. I've got to take care of this guy. He plays every day."

Gary Sanchez hit a pair of two-run homers, including a mammoth blast in the first inning, for New York (67-57). Sanchez's first-inning shot to left field traveled an estimated 493 feet, according to MLB's Statcast, the second-longest homer in the majors this season behind only a 495-foot blast by Judge.

Sanchez, who was moved to the No. 3 spot in the order, has 11 homers in his past 24 games.

"He has the ability in a sense to carry a club," Girardi said.

Aaron Hicks hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs. Todd Frazier had three hits, including a two-run triple, for the Yankees.

Nicholas Castellanos hit two home runs, including an inside-the-park homer, and Ian Kinsler added an RBI double for Detroit (54-70). Matthew Boyd (5-7) was tagged for seven runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings, equaling his shortest start of the season.

"I didn't execute pitches, that's what it is," Boyd said. "It's wanting to go down and away with a changeup and missing up and Sanchez hits a homer. It's wanting to go down with a fastball and missing up and away and Frazier gets a chance to get a ball in the air for a two-run triple. It's little things like that. That's the difference."

Boyd has allowed 17 runs (16 earned) in his past four starts, spanning 16 1/3 innings. His rotation spot is in jeopardy.

"I need to be better," he said. "In terms of what other people decide about me, that's out of my control. I know I need to be better, and that's what I'm going to work on when I step in the door tomorrow."

Sanchez's monstrous blast followed Hicks' one-out single in the first. The Yankees tacked on another run in the inning when Judge walked and scored on Tyler Austin's sacrifice fly after advancing to third on Didi Gregorius' double.

A leadoff walk to Judge set the stage for the Yankees' four-run third. Austin knocked in Judge with a single. Frazier ended Boyd's night two batters later with his two-run, opposite-field triple. Ronald Torreyes' sacrifice fly off Warwick Saupold made it 7-0.

The Tigers got one back in the bottom half on Kinsler's two-out RBI double.

Hicks' fielder's choice and Judge's single brought home the runs during New York's two-run fifth.

NOTES: Detroit 3B Nicholas Castellanos is still expected to get an audition in right field this season. Management wants to see how Castellanos handles the switch, which would create a spot for top prospect Jeimer Candelario. "He's not ready to go out there right now," manager Brad Ausmus said. "The biggest thing is his comfort level." ... Yankees 1B Greg Bird appears to be close to returning from the 60-day disabled list. Bird, who is recovering from a right ankle bruise, collected four straight two-hit games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. "You hope he can make a big impact for us," manager Joe Girardi said. ... The Yankees began a stretch of 39 games in 41 days.

Tigers' Fulmer gets crack as slowing Dodgers express

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(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Michael Fulmer knows it won't be easy.

Which is why he's been preparing to face the Los Angeles Dodgers since his last start, his first after missing two turns with an inflamed ulnar nerve in his right elbow.

"They're fun to watch as a baseball fan," the Detroit Tigers' right-hander said Friday on the eve of his turn against the team with the best record in baseball.

So how does one go about this task?

"You do your scouting," Fulmer said. "I've been watching video on them for a few days now.

"Their 2-3-4 hitters go left-right-left. It's definitely going to be a challenge."

He may or may not have gotten much from Friday night's 8-5 Los Angeles win over Detroit, but nearly all the Dodger hitters were up five times for Fulmer to study.

Fulmer (10-10, 3.78 ERA) has lost four in a row and given up 14 earned runs in his last three. He worked between starts on correcting a mechanical flaw and will be trying them out against a team he has never faced in his career.

The Dodgers counter with lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-6, 3.63), who is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA for his last seven starts. Ryu only faced the Tigers once in his career, in 2014, when he allowed a career-high seven earned runs on 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings. That start also was at Comerica Park.

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said Friday newly activated first baseman Adrian Gonzalez would start all three games of the series, serving as the designated hitter on Sunday.

The Dodgers added another veteran -- one familiar to Detroit fans -- with the acquisition of outfielder Curtis Granderson on Friday night from the New York Mets.

Granderson, who played five seasons with the Tigers, was batting .228 with 19 homers and 52 RBIs in 111 games this season for the Mets. Since May 21, however, he has a .276 average in his last 71 games with 40 runs, 13 doubles, two triples, 16 homers and 38 RBIs in that span.

"A little bittersweet," Granderson said of the trade. "But to get an opportunity to play in the postseason is going to be exciting."

Rookie sensation Cody Bellinger is scheduled to play left field the first two games (although he may DH Saturday) and first on Sunday.

Shortstop Corey Seager served as the DH on Friday night, which Roberts said was good because it gave his starter two days in a row off his feet.

Manager Brad Ausmus of Detroit will have a four-man bench for at least a week with the disabling of right-hander Anibal Sanchez (left hamstring) and the recall of center fielder JaCoby Jones.

The Tigers have a day off Monday and won't need a fifth starter until next Saturday, but Ausmus said he hasn't determined who that starter will be.

Ausmus might be getting worn down by all the deficits he's been watching over the last couple of weeks, as Detroit starters get roughed up most of the time and when they don't, the bullpen does.

"We can't continue to give up this many runs and expect to win games," Ausmus said. "It's been a lot of home runs and a lot of walks. We were counting on some guys to build on what they were doing in late July and early August and that hasn't happened."

Hill good enough as Dodgers down Detroit

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers got a close-up look at the Los Angeles Dodgers' Traveling Record-Breaking Show on Friday night, and now they understand.

Chris Taylor banged out four hits, drove in two runs and scored once to lead the steamrolling Dodgers to an 8-5 victory over the Tigers, their fifth straight win and 20th in their last 23.

"They're confident at the plate, that's for sure," losing pitcher Jordan Zimmermann said Friday after getting tattooed for 10 hits and seven runs in 5 1/3 innings. "Every ball they see they think they can hit."

Rich Hill (9-4) wasn't dominating for the Dodgers but with Los Angeles scoring seven runs while he was in the game, he didn't have to be. Hill gave up six hits and three runs in his five innings, walking three and striking out five, leaving with a 7-3 lead.

"Richie obviously didn't have his best stuff but still found a way to compete," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. "He worked out of some jams.

"That ball off bat of (Justin) Upton -- the line drive off of CT's (Taylor's) glove. But to get out of that jam was big for him. And where he was at with his pitch count (84) and the trust that we have in our bullpen to go to them at that point in time made sense."

The Tigers' Victor Martinez greeted reliever Josh Fields with his 10th home run, a drive to right, making it 7-4 one batter into the sixth.

After Fields worked his inning, Pedro Baez pitched two scoreless innings and Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth. Jansen gave up Upton's second home run of the game and 25th of the season plus two more singles before striking out Martinez and James McCann to end the game.

Corey Seager hit a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Logan Forsythe to give the Dodgers a 7-3 lead in the sixth. Forsythe had doubled and stopped at third on a single to left by Taylor that ended the night for Zimmermann (7-10). Enter reliever Daniel Stumpf, who gave up the sacrifice fly.

"I thought his slider was flat, just like in his last outing," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said of his starter. "He doesn't have the same velocity that he once did. He's got enough to get outs, but he can't get through a lineup without a breaking ball. That's been the problem again in the last couple starts, after he looked much better for a stretch.

"We can't continue to give up this many runs and expect to win games. It's been a lot of home runs and a lot of walks. We were counting on some guys to build on what they were doing in late July and early August and that hasn't happened."

Upton trimmed the Los Angeles lead to 4-3 with his 24th home run in the third. Upton got just past second base but put a finger up and retreated to retouch second and then first base just in case he had missed the first bag.

Los Angeles restored its three-run margin to 6-3 in the fourth when Forsythe walked and Joc Pederson and Taylor followed with RBI doubles.

The Tigers took an early lead when Hill gave up a pair of runs in the first on a walk to Ian Kinsler plus doubles by Upton and Miguel Cabrera.

"I didn't have a great curve ball," Hill said. "That's something I've got to work on going forward. I had to be creative out there. My breaking ball wasn't really breaking all that well."

Yasmani Grandal opened the second with a walk off Zimmermann and stopped at third on Adrian Gonzalez's sharp double off the right-field wall. Forsythe singled past third to drive in Grandal. Taylor doubled to right tie the score at 2-all.

Seager gave Los Angeles a 4-2 lead with a two-run single to right.

"Offensively, we were grinding at-bats, getting on base, talking the walk, running the bases well," Roberts said. "CT at the top of the order, that's what he's done for us all year get on base He got on four times for us.

"We do a lot of answering back. When they score in the first we seem to in that next half-inning seem to respond with a run or two. We did that twice."

Los Angeles (86-34) owns the best record in baseball and has won 51 of its last 60 games.

NOTES: RHP Anibal Sanchez (left hamstring) was placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday by Detroit, which called up CF JaCoby Jones from Triple-A Toledo to replace him. ... 1B Adrian Gonzalez was activated from the 60-day disabled list by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who optioned utility player Rob Segedin to Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler was fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for his derogatory remarks about umpire Angel Hernandez earlier in the week. ... Dodgers' RHP Yu Darvish (sore back) will get an extra day of rest before making his next start, manager Dave Roberts said.

Andrus, Mazara carry Rangers to sweep of Tigers

(TSX / STATS) -- ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers have at least put themselves back in the conversation for an American League wild-card spot with a simple baseball recipe.

Good pitching, good defense and timely hitting after flooding the field with baserunners.

That was how they finished off a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers in a 12-6 victory on Wednesday night.

Texas (59-60) moved within a game of .500 and two games back of the second wild-card playoff berth with 43 games to play.

Elvis Andrus had a home run and four RBIs, and Nomar Mazara added a homer and three RBIs. Andrus' 16th home run of the season in the fifth inning produced the go-ahead run, and his two-run single through a drawn-in infield was the key hit in Texas' four-run sixth.

The Rangers shortstop was 3-for-5 with a walk, a stolen base and three runs. He drove in his fourth run with a base hit in the seventh.

Mazara, the Texas right fielder who has 20 RBIs in his past 18 games, was 3-for-5. He hit a two-run homer off Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez in the second and an RBI single in the sixth for the Rangers, who have won six of seven.

In the sweep, Texas scored 28 runs on 39 hits and 55 baserunners, including 25 on Wednesday.

Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels (8-1) improved to 6-0 this season at home, giving up four runs, eight hits and five walks in six innings. He struck out two and yielded two home runs, including a leadoff homer to Detroit second baseman Ian Kinsler, who quickly ended Hamels' consecutive scoreless inning streak at 11.

"It'd be tough to point to just one thing," Banister said of the key to the team's good run. "It's been the number of baserunners we continue to have. The double-digit baserunners have allowed us to do some things that we're used to doing: run the bases, steal bases, create, and obviously the home run shows up for us in certain situations.

"It's been the pitching. Cole didn't have his best stuff tonight, but he battled through tonight. But I think it's the combination of all things. The defense we've played, the pitching we've gotten and the offense has really showed up for us."

Hamels is 16-2 in his career at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Detroit left-handed reliever Chad Bell (0-1), who gave up the homer to Andrus, took the loss. Bell allowed the one run, three hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings.

The Tigers used eight pitchers, and they issued seven walks and surrendered 17 hits.

Detroit (53-67) has lost 10 of its past 12 and is 14 games below .500 heading into a home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that starts Friday. The Tigers fell to 24-39 on the road, the third-worst road record in the American League.

"Pretty plain and simple, it didn't go well," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "Didn't pitch well. Home runs and walks are not a good combination. We're giving up too many of both."

Adrian Beltre had a two-run homer in the third on an 0-2 pitch from Sanchez to tie the game at 4-all -- the 458th of his career, one back of Detroit's Miguel Cabrera for 37th all-time -- and Joey Gallo hit his 35th for Texas. Shin-Soo Choo also had an RBI.

"I think everybody's doing their job, we're having really good at-bats, nobody's taking anything for granted, and no matter if it's two outs, we still believe we can have a rally and score runs," Andrus said. "That's our DNA that we need to keep the rest of the season, and hopefully the beginning of something good."

Hamels wasn't his sharpest, allowing baserunners in every inning except the fourth.

With the score tied in the fifth, Hamels worked out of a bases-loaded jam with one out, striking out John Hicks and inducing a popout from Nicholas Castellanos. Texas second baseman Rougned Odor sprinted out to short right field to make a nice over-the-shoulder catch.

Detroit center fielder Mikie Mahtook had a two-run homer in the third. Mahtook is hitting .342 with five home runs and 14 RBIs since the All-Star break. Kinsler's leadoff home run was the 46th of his career, tied for fourth all time with Jimmy Rollins.

Cabrera was 2-for-2 with a double and two walks, one an intentional pass by Hamels in the fifth.

Sanchez left the game in the third inning with left hamstring tightness. He gave up four runs and five hits, including two home runs, and a walk in 2 1/3 innings.

Texas' four-run sixth typified Detroit's recent struggles. The Tigers were plagued by two errors and a hit by pitch in the inning.

Reliever Joe Jimenez's line was three runs (two earned), one hit and a hit batter in one-third of an inning.

"It was a rough one," Kinsler said. "It was a rough series for us. Offensively we continued to try to battle to get back in, but it just wasn't happening, and every time we scored, they had an answer. They played three good games."

NOTES: Detroit's Ian Kinsler and umpire Angel Hernandez shook hands as the second baseman took his position. Kinsler, who was ejected from Monday's game by Hernandez, lashed out at the umpire on Tuesday, saying, among other things, that "he needs to find another job." ... Texas officials were more specific with what has kept OF Carlos Gomez out of the lineup. Gomez had an infected cyst removed from his back. He was out of the lineup a third straight game, but he was available. ... Texas LHP Jake Diekman, out all season after three surgeries on his colon, will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Thursday. He is slated to throw 15 pitches.

Gallo on a roll as Rangers host Tigers

Stats, LLC

(TSX / STATS) -- ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Tigers and Rangers conclude a three-game series Wednesday with 33-year-old pitchers -- Detroit right-hander Anibal Sanchez and Texas lefty Cole Hamels -- facing off in the rubber match.

However, it is the rise of a 23-year-old Ranger that is garnering attention since the All-Star break. Joey Gallo appears to be figuring out some things, namely the strike zone, at the major league level.

A .194 hitter before the All-Star break, Gallo has hit .250 since while contributing 13 homers and 23 RBIs. He has nine homers in his past 13 games and 12 walks since the break.

Gallo hit his 34th home run Tuesday off Justin Verlander in the Rangers' 10-4 win, and like many of the others, the ball didn't linger, going out at 108 mph. Fourteen of his home runs have had an exit velocity of 110 mph or higher.

Gallo is third in the American League in home runs behind New York's Aaron Judge (36) and Kansas City's Mike Moustakas (35).

"It's really significant," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "It's a recognition of what he needs to do in the batter's box and the ability to put the ball in play. You still see pitchers trying to make adjustments to him.

"He is walking and not chasing, hitting the ball in the middle of the field and not the over-the-top pull. For him to continue that process, it's huge for his confidence. He has become a better hitter, not just a slugger."

Gallo, though, could also become the third player in major league history to have more home runs than singles in a season. Mark McGwire did it five times and Barry Bonds once. Gallo has 21 singles.

But that is OK with him.

"You look at just the way the field's shaped for me," Gallo said. "I hit a line drive to the right side, I'm out. If I hit a ground ball to the right side, I'm out. As long as I'm putting together good at-bats or drawing walks, then for me, that's what's important, getting on-base and doing damage when I can and playing good defense."

Gallo will take his licks Wednesday against Sanchez (3-3, 6.69 ERA). Sanchez is 1-3 with an 8.84 ERA in his past four starts, and he is trying to stop a two-game losing streak. He certainly would appear vulnerable against a guy like Gallo, having allowed 11 home runs in his past six starts since yielding one in his first four.

Sanchez is 2-4 with a 7.84 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts) against Texas. In Arlington, he is 1-3 with a 13.79 ERA in four starts. He worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief against Texas in May.

Detroit starters are in a rut, having given up homers in 10 of their last 11 games. The rotation has a 7.94 ERA during that stretch, and that includes a Verlander outing in which he didn't give up a run over eight innings.

"The pitching has been bad overall ... giving up home runs, walking too many guys," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "Pitching and defense wins games, but bad pitching is instrumental in losing games. We just haven't pitched well."

"We just have to play better. It's as simple as that. We've got to pitch better, hit better, manage better, coach better."

Meanwhile, Hamels (7-1, 3.31) is vying to win a third consecutive start. He is on a good run, going 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his past four starts, and he hasn't allowed an earned run in his past 18 innings.

In his career against the Tigers, Hamels is 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA in five starts. He hasn't faced them this year.

The Rangers have won five of six, including two straight over Detroit. The Tigers have lost nine of their past 11.

LEADING OFF: Stanton swings for 7 straight; Kinsler eyes ump

A look at what’s happening all around the majors today:

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RECORD CHASE

Streaking slugger Giancarlo Stanton tries to hit a home run in his seventh straight game when the Marlins host the Giants. Struggling right-hander Matt Cain (3-9, 5.22 ERA) starts for San Francisco. Stanton, who leads the majors with a team-record 44 homers this season, has four in 22 career at-bats against Cain. The major league record for consecutive games with a home run is eight, set by Dale Long (1956), Don Mattingly (1987) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1993). Stanton has 11 homers in his last 12 games, and 23 in the last 35.

THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM

The Red Sox celebrate the 50th anniversary of their 1967 AL championship before facing St. Louis at Fenway Park. Triple Crown winner Carl Yastrzemski and ace pitcher Jim Lonborg are among the members of that “Impossible Dream” team scheduled to attend the ceremony. Following a thrilling, four-team race that came down to the final day of the season, the pennant Boston won in ’67 was its first in 21 years. Those beloved Red Sox lost to the Cardinals in the World Series.

CLOSE ENCOUNTER

One day after harshly criticizing Angel Hernandez and saying the veteran umpire should find another job, Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler could be just steps away from Hernandez much of the night. A normal rotation for the umps would put Hernandez at second base when Detroit plays the Texas Rangers. Kinsler was ejected by Hernandez for questioning his calls on balls and strikes Monday night. The next day, the four-time All-Star told reporters covering the Tigers that Hernandez is a bad umpire who is “messing” with games “blatantly.”

ON THE MEND

Indians reliever Andrew Miller is set to pitch one inning in a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus. If all goes well, the All-Star lefty is expected to come off the disabled list Friday in Kansas City. Miller has been out since Aug. 2 with right knee patella tendinitis. He is 4-3 with a 1.67 ERA and two saves in 46 games this season.

TRACK CHANGE

Rookie right-hander Robert Gsellman comes off the disabled list to start for the New York Mets as the Subway Series shifts to Citi Field. Gary Sanchez and the Yankees won the first two matchups this week in the Bronx. Gsellman was 5-5 with a 6.16 ERA when he injured his hamstring in late June. He’ll pitch in place of Seth Lugo, put on the 10-day DL with a right shoulder impingement. Left-hander Jaime Garcia makes his third start for the Yankees after coming over in a trade. Mets fans also will have their eyes on the minors: Matt Harvey (shoulder) is set for his second rehab outing with Class A Brooklyn, and closer Jeurys Familia begins his rehab assignment with Class A St. Lucie. It will be Familia’s first game since having surgery for a blood clot in his shoulder.

NOTHING EARNED

Rangers lefty Cole Hamels is slated to pitch against Detroit. Hamels (7-1, 3.31 ERA) has won his first two starts in August by allowing only one run in 16 innings — and it was unearned. It is the second time this season he has tossed at least seven innings in consecutive games without giving up an earned run. Hamels threw seven scoreless innings against Houston last Friday, staying in the game after a comebacker ricocheted off his left knee in the fourth. He is 29-7 in 58 regular-season starts for the Rangers since they acquired him from Philadelphia in July 2015.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Rangers' Griffin turns tables on Tigers, Verlander

(TSX / STATS) -- ARLINGTON, Texas -- The last time A.J. Griffin faced Justin Verlander, the Texas Rangers right-hander left early with a bruised ERA.

On Tuesday, however, it was Griffin and the Rangers who connected with a haymaker.

Griffin was effective over five innings, Joey Gallo and Mike Napoli hit back-to-back home runs off Verlander in the fourth inning, and Texas used a pair of four-run frames to roll past the Detroit Tigers 10-4.

Texas has won five of its past six games while Detroit has dropped nine of its past 11.

Gallo's two-run homer in the Rangers' four-run fourth was his 34th of the season -- third in the American League to New York's Aaron Judge (36) and Kansas City's Mike Moustakas (35).

Napoli was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run single in the Rangers' four-run eighth.

Robinson Chirinos smacked his career-high 14th home run to make it 1-1 in the third, Nomar Mazara had an RBI single in the fourth, and Adrian Beltre hit a run-scoring double in the eighth.

Shin-Soo Choo accounted for the Rangers' 10th run with an eighth-inning base hit.

"I think it's a big boost for our guys," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "Great approach tonight. We continued to make (Verlander) work, hunting pitches up in the zone that they can put the barrel on. To be able to beat Verlander after the way he's been pitching I think is a huge boost for this ballclub."

Verlander (8-8), seeking his fourth consecutive victory, took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits and no walks in six innings. He struck out eight. Verlander entered with a streak of seven consecutive starts allowing three or fewer runs.

The Rangers sent seven men to the plate in the fourth, making Verlander throw 31 pitches. The right-hander admitted that took a toll on him on a hot summer night.

"One bad inning. Down here, long innings are what gets you," Verlander said. "You have to focus a little more, honestly. I threw a pitch to a guy (Gallo) who runs into stuff. That's what he does. Not taking anything away from him. He's got ridiculous pop, but if he gets ahold of it, it's probably going to be a homer. And then I made a mistake to Napoli, and that's the ballgame."

Detroit starters are in a rut, having given up homers in 10 of the past 11 games. The rotation has a 7.94 ERA during that stretch, and that includes Verlander's previous start in which he threw eight shutout innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Every hitter in Texas' lineup registered a hit except Rougned Odor, who had two walks and would have stolen home in the seventh had Tigers left-handed reliever Daniel Stumpf not committed a balk.

Griffin (6-3), who gave up nine runs over 3 1/3 innings in a start against Detroit in May and had a 10.88 ERA in five career starts against the Tigers, earned the victory. The right-hander, making his third start since coming off the disabled list Aug. 2, gave up one run on five hits and two walks while striking out four.

"It's huge any time you go out there and help your ball team get a win," Griffin said. "It didn't go as well the last time I pitched head-to-head against (Verlander).

"We've got a great lineup, and you just keep this team in the game and good things happen."

Shortstop Jose Iglesias drove in two runs for the Tigers, who cut a four-run deficit to two in the seventh off Texas right-handed reliever Tony Barnette. Alex Presley and Iglesias had the RBIs in the inning for Detroit. Victor Martinez, who was 2-for-3, connected on a solo home run in the ninth off Rangers right-hander Jason Grilli.

Detroit catcher John Hicks had two doubles, a single and two runs, and Ian Kinsler added two hits.

Miguel Cabrera, who sat out the previous two games with a stiff back, was back in the Detroit's lineup and went hitless in three at-bats.

Odor reached by a walk in the seventh, stole second and advanced to third on Hicks' throw trying to catch him. During the left-handed Choo's at-bat, Odor bolted for home. He beat Stumpf's throw, though plate umpire John Tumpane signaled a balk.

That play typified how things are going for the slumping Tigers.

"You've got to be aware of where the baserunners are and what they're doing," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "Stumpf forgot about the baserunner, and it cost us. It was a two-run game. All of a sudden, it's a three-run game and we don't have a lot of outs to play with.

"(The losing streak) is not fun. We just have to play better. It's as simple as that. We've got to pitch better, hit better, manage better, coach better. We just have to be better because this ain't gonna cut it the next month and a half."

NOTES: Detroit 2B Ian Kinsler was still hot under the collar about his ejection from Monday's game for arguing balls and strikes with plate umpire Angel Hernandez. Of Hernandez, Kinsler said: "It has to do with changing the game. He's changing the game. He needs to find another job. He really does." ... Texas OF Carlos Gomez was out of the lineup for a second straight game because of illness, manager Jeff Banister said. ... Texas 3B Adrian Beltre played in career game No. 2,785, passing Alex Rodriguez for 25th all-time. ... The Rangers made a minor trade before the game, sending Triple-A Round Rock OF Travis Snider to the New York Mets for future considerations.

Multiple contributors help Rangers top Tigers 6-2

(TSX / STATS) -- ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers used every device in their offensive tool box to manufacture runs in a victory on Monday night.

The balanced attack featured RBIs from six hitters in Texas' 6-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Texas employed timely hits, aggressive baserunning and sacrifice bunts, and it scored the go-ahead run on a ball that traveled 3 feet -- Delino DeShields' safety squeeze that brought in Rougned Odor in the second inning.

Nomar Mazara, Adrian Beltre, Drew Robinson and Robinson Chrinos also drove in runs, as did Joey Gallo, who belted his 33rd home run, a solo shot in the third inning. The homer was Gallo's 12th since the All-Star break, tops in the American League.

Odor led Texas' 11-hit attack by going 3-for-4 -- including a bunt hit to start the second -- with two stolen bases and three runs. Mazara also had three hits.

"I felt like tonight offensively might have been our best approach all year long with everything that we did," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "We ran the bases well, got a bunt base hit, some sacrifice bunts ... just all around probably the best approach in a game that we've had collectively throughout the game."

The Rangers won for the fourth time in five games.

Texas left-hander Martin Perez (7-10) posted his second straight victory. The left-hander gave up two runs -- both on Justin Upton's homer in the first inning -- six hits and a walk. He struck out two.

Perez has allowed two runs in his past 14 innings.

"I think I've got confidence now," he said. "When that happens to a pitcher, you can do whatever you want with the ball, and you compete. It's not easy to go out there and face a good hitter, but when you've got confidence, you compete and do your job."

Right-hander Ricky Rodriguez, making his major league debut, was one of three Texas relievers who followed Perez to the mound. The 24-year-old, called up last week from Double-A Frisco, struck out the first two hitters he faced and retired Jose Iglesias on a lineout.

Rodriguez, right-hander Matt Bush, and left-hander Alex Claudio worked three scoreless innings, but not without some angst.

The Tigers loaded the bases with three hits in the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate. The spot in the order initially belonged to leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler, but he and manager Brad Ausmus were ejected by plate umpire Angel Hernandez in the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes.

Instead, Dixon Machado was the batter, and he struck out against Claudio to end the game.

"I'm not going to talk about the umpires," said bench coach Gene Lamont, who took over for Ausmus. "That's a losing battle. You get frustrated and say the wrong thing, and the next thing you know, you're gone. Brad evidently said something he didn't like either."

Right-hander Michael Fulmer (10-10), in his first start since returning from a disabled-list stint prompted by a sore elbow, took the loss. He gave up five runs, seven hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out two.

A year ago to the day, Fulmer confounded the Rangers in a four-hit shutout. He struck out nine that time.

He wasn't nearly as crisp on Monday while struggling with his command. Fulmer walked the first two batters he faced in Texas' two-run first inning.

A stretch of 14 days between starts might have been one reason for his lack of command, though he is now 0-4 with a 7.89 ERA in his past four starts, all Tigers losses.

"I felt good. That's the only positive on the day," Fulmer said. "I was just out of sync. I think I got better as the game went on, but I felt every pitch was either a ball or right down the middle.

"They had some hard hits and some soft hits. They bunted, took extra bases. There really are no excuses. I have to prepare better."

Right-hander Jeff Ferrell surrendered Chirinos' RBI single in the sixth for Texas' final run.

In addition to Upton, who was 1-for-3 with a walk, Mikie Mahtook went 3-for-4 with a run for the Tigers, who have dropped eight of 10 games.

James McCann had two hits for Detroit. He has hit safely in 20 of his past 23 games.

Down 2-0 after Upton's two-run homer, Texas answered with two runs in its half of the first inning.

DeShields and Elvis Andrus walked to open the inning, and Mazara followed with an RBI single. Beltre's sacrifice fly scored Andrus.

Gallo ended an 0-for-11 stretch with a solo home run to center, his eighth home run in his past 11 games, in the third.

Odor scored his second run of the game in the fourth, coming home on Robinson's base hit.

"Martin pitched pretty good today," Odor said. "I just tried to get on base to keep scoring runs."

NOTES: Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera was out of the lineup a second consecutive game after his back stiffened in the morning. ... Texas OF Shin-Soo Choo and OF Carlos Gomez were out of the lineup. "Choo is just a little banged up. Gomez felt a little under the weather," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. ... Texas LHP Jake Diekman, out all season after stomach surgery, threw live batting practice. No decision has been made on next his steps, which will include a minor league rehabilitation stint.

Buxton helps hot Twins knock off Tigers

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- The Minnesota Twins may not be in front of the Cleveland Indians, their next opponent, but they are some six weeks ahead of last year.

Minnesota matched its 2016 total of 59 wins Sunday thanks to Byron Buxton's tiebreaking line single to center with one out in the eighth inning that keyed a two-run rally that gave the Twins a 6-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers and their seventh win in eight games.

"I'm familiar with that number," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said of equaling the win total from a year ago. "It's amazing the difference a year makes. We're still looking at (46) games to go. We're in much better position."

Reliever Bruce Rondon (1-3) threw nine pitches, just one a strike, at the start of the eighth.

Not only was he yanked for Warwick Saupold after the two walks, he found himself headed for the I-75 construction detour to Toledo after the game.

"We're just trying to keep the score where it was at that point," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said, "and he couldn't do it. That was going to be his inning, but when none of the first four pitches were even close, I knew I had to get Saupold throwing."

Saupold gave up a sacrifice bunt and Buxton's RBI single to give the Twins a 5-4 lead. Ehire Adrianza followed with a sacrifice fly to left for a 6-4 edge.

"Late in the game, they came back and they found a way to get even," Molitor said. "We got a couple runners there in scoring position with the benefit of a couple walks and a nice bunt. Buck (Buxton) had a good at-bat. He fell behind but he poked one out into center which was a huge hit.

"I had Joe (Mauer) ready to hit (for Adrianza) but once we took the lead I was comfortable with Adrianza going ahead trying to get the run in first and third there. He did a really good job of battling with two strikes and adding the insurance run which you always need there."

Tyler Duffey (2-3) picked up the win for the Twins with a scoreless seventh plus two outs in the eighth. Rookie Trevor Hildenberger retired Justin Upton to end the eighth and stayed on for the ninth to get his first major league save.

"That was the third day in a row for Hildie," Molitor said. "He said he felt great, so I wanted to ride with him there as long as I could. I had Matty (Belisle) and Rog (Taylor Rogers) ready in case I got the right matchup.

"Will Hildie close again? Possible. On any given day. It's a rotating mix right now. I'd like to get it settled a little bit."

Ervin Santana was replaced after a freaky fifth inning in which the Tigers tied the score at 4-4, with three passed balls by catcher Chris Gimenez playing a key part. Santana gave up seven hits, struck out six and walked two.

A Detroit runner also reached base on an error by first baseman Miguel Sano so only the second of the three runs were earned. Two runs scored on passed balls, and Nicholas Castellanos singled in the third after a wild pitch advanced runners to second and third.

"I haven't watched an inning like that for a while up here," Molitor said. "It was tough. He's a solid catcher. It was a poor inning for us. And we paid the price by giving up three runs."

Ausmus could only shake his head.

"That's not the normal way to get a three-run rally," Ausmus said, "but we'll take it. We've shown again in the last two days that we will do whatever it takes to get back into a game. This time, we just didn't get enough."

Detroit got four hits in the fourth but only one run, on a sacrifice fly John Hicks, as Santana got two strikeouts to leave the bases loaded. That trimmed Minnesota's lead to 4-1.

Matthew Boyd lasted two outs into the sixth for the Tigers, allowing four runs on six hits -- including two home runs -- with five strikeouts.

Sano hit his 26th home run, a drive to left, with a man on in the third to open up a 4-0 lead for Minnesota. Brian Dozier singled and was forced at second prior to the home run.

"Sano got one out even though I don't think he hit it particularly well," Molitor said. "I don't know if he used his knuckles or the handle."

Eddie Rosario singled and Giminez walked to open the Twins second. Jorge Polanco sacrificed both runners up a base and Rosario scored on a squeeze bunt by Buxton to make it 2-0.

Dozier opened the game by hitting his 23rd home run, his sixth leading off a game this year and the 25th of his career, to get Minnesota off to a 1-0 start. The ball went to left field.

After the game, Detroit optioned Rondon back to Triple-A Toledo to make room for the Monday activation of starter Michael Fulmer. That means Drew VerHagen will go from the rotation to the bullpen, where Ausmus believes he fits better.

NOTES: The Tigers designated RHP Edward Mujica for assignment Sunday and purchased the contract of RHP Jeff Ferrell from Triple-A Toledo to replace him. ... Twins manager Paul Molitor set his rotation for Cleveland from Tuesday through Thursday. RHP Bartolo Colon will open, followed by RHP Kyle Gibson and RHP Jose Berrios. ... LHP Daniel Norris (groin) of Detroit will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday, throwing about 45 pitches for Triple-A Toledo. ... Rookie LHP Dietrich Enns was available to relieve Sunday and will make his next start Saturday against Arizona.

Upton walk-off blast lifts Tigers over Twins

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Justin Upton and the Detroit Tigers exposed a shortcoming the Minnesota Twins will have to address if they hope to be successful in their run at the leaders in the American League Central Division -- the bullpen.

Minnesota, without a defined closer since dealing Brandon Kintzler at the trade deadline in July, saw Matt Belisle get tagged for a game-winning walk-off two-run homer with nobody out in the ninth inning Saturday night to give the Tigers a comeback 12-11 victory over the Twins.

Belisle (0-2) struck out Ian Kinsler to choke off a three-run rally in the eight but Minnesota's current saves leader -- with two -- gave up a single to leadoff man Mikie Mahtook in the ninth and then Upton's 22nd home run sailed into the left field seats off a 2-1 fastball. It was his sixth walk-off homer.

"In terms of the taste of the win, this was the best-tasting win of the year," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said, "a tremendous team win with a lot of people involved."

"We kept battling man, that's the thing," Upton said. "That's the biggest thing. Even though we gave away a big lead, we still grinded at-bats and just kept chipping away.

"I was patient at the beginning of the at-bat. I got myself in a hitter's count (2-0) and he threw a pretty good pitch, a little slider away. Then he went to the fastball and I was able to get it elevated."

"There's not much you can say," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. "It's tough to swallow, those kind, especially when you need to win games. We did a lot of good things; you get 19 hits and 11 runs and can't win."

The win went to Tigers' closer Shane Greene (3-2), brought in to keep the deficit at one run. He left the bases loaded by striking out Miguel Sano on three straight sliders.

Detroit blew a 5-0 first-inning lead and trailed 11-6 in the seventh before mounting its comeback.

Joe Mauer hit a three-run double and added a two-run homer to drive in five runs for Minnesota.

Jose Iglesias hit a two-run homer, his fourth home run of the year, in the eighth inning after James McCann reached a career-best five RBIs by hitting into a force-out with runners on first and third. McCann's grand slam in the first put the Tigers on top 5-0.

Dillon Gee allowed a sacrifice fly to Upton after Mahtook's one-out triple in the seventh. Reliever Trevor Hildenberger gave up McCann's RBI groundout and the Iglesias home run, which made it 11-10.

"Games like that, winning games are fun," Mahtook said. "Whether or not people are counting us out or not, that has nothing to do with it. Now you're playing for the guys in here and because you're competitive and you want to win.

"You're not going to go out there and be okay with losing games just because we're supposed to lose games.

"It really is a testament to the veteran leadership here, with Kinsler and Upton and Miggy and all those guys. They come out every day and they're going to grind it out."

Mauer, a career .303 hitter against Detroit in 733 at-bats, hit a two-run homer off reliever Edward Mujica in the sixth and Byron Buxton added a sacrifice fly later in the inning to pad the Twins' lead to 11-6. Mauer's sixth home run, to left-center field, was his 16th against Detroit in his career and his five RBIs gave him 114 versus the Tigers.

"We had chances even though we scored 11 to score more than 11," Molitor said. "You never know how many you're going to need and we didn't have enough."

Reliever Daniel Stumpf gave up an RBI single to Jason Castro in the fifth, giving Minnesota an 8-6 lead.

McCann doubled to open the fourth for Detroit and eventually scored when Iglesias hit into a forceout at second, pulling the Tigers within a run at 7-6. Minnesota starter Jose Berrios was pulled after hitting the next batter, Ian Kinsler.

Buxton led off the fourth with his sixth home run, which was just over the wall in right-center field and gave the Twins a 6-5 lead. Jorge Polanco ran his hitting streak to 10 games with a single to right and scored on a line single to left by Brian Dozier that chased starter Jordan Zimmermann and put Minnesota ahead 7-5.

Zimmermann pitched two scoreless innings before allowing five in the third and two in the fourth to fritter away a 5-0 lead. He gave up eight hits in 3 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out one.

Mauer hit a three-run double with one out in the third to cut into a 5-0 Detroit lead and Eddie Rosario tied the score by hitting his 16th home run one out later. Rosario's second home run in two games went over the wall in right-center field.

Berrios gave up five runs to Detroit in the first, one on an RBI single by Nicholas Castellanos and four on a grand slam by McCann, his 11th home run and second career slam. Berrios lasted 3 1/3 innings, giving up six runs and six hits with two walks.

Detroit's Miguel Cabrera left the game after six innings with lower-back tightness.

NOTES: Tigers 3B Nicholas Castellanos will begin taking fly balls in right field to see if that's a viable option for 2018, manager Brad Ausmus said. ... Minnesota's Paul Molitor learned after Friday night's 9-4 victory over Detroit that it was his 200th as the club's manager. ... The Tigers brought OF Alex Presley (right side strain) back from a rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo and put him in the starting lineup. OF JIm Adduci was sent back to the Mud Hens. ... With RHP Brandon Kintzler traded, the Twins don't have a set closer, so Molitor said Minnesota will continue to mix and match at the end of games.

Bell, Cole help Pirates beat Tigers

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Josh Bell never showed much power in the minor leagues. So when Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle moved Bell to the cleanup spot this season, more than a few eyebrows were raised.

Bell has been doing all the lifting since that time, as home runs have been flying out of the ballpark. Bell smacked his 20th homer of the season on Thursday afternoon in the Pirates' 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

"It's definitely cool," the 24-year-old first baseman said. "It's not something I would have expected out of myself a couple of years ago. It's cool getting there (to 20 homers) and hopefully, I can continue to progress forward."

Bell hit a combined 16 home runs in 249 minor-league games during 2014 and 2015. He started to display more of a power stroke last season, with 14 homers at the Triple-A level along with three long balls in 45 major-league games.

"When we talked about having a vacuum there in the cleanup spot and our options, we penciled him in 36 or 37 games ago. This is a guy technically by definition who is still in his rookie season hitting cleanup and he's doing a good job," Hurdle said. "I just like the fact that two years ago we're having conversations about his power. Where was it? And at this level, he's continued to mature and get better."

Bell drove in three runs in support of Gerrit Cole, who won his seventh consecutive road start in his longest outing of the season.

Cole (10-8) limited the Tigers to three runs on six hits over eight innings. He struck out seven and retired the last 11 batters he faced. Cole's outing was his longest since he threw a complete game against Seattle on July 27 of last year.

"He stayed with his program, stayed with his game plan, even though they scratched some runs off him early," Hurdle said. "He threw 39 pitches in his last four innings and closed out extremely strong."

Sean Rodriguez also homered and knocked in two runs, while Adam Frazier supplied three hits, a run scored and two RBIs. Pirates leadoff hitter Starling Marte added two hits and scored twice for Pittsburgh (57-58), which has won six of its last eight.

The Tigers rallied for two ninth-inning runs before Felipe Rivero retired the last two batters to notch his 11th save.

Nicholas Castellanos drove in two runs with his American League-leading ninth triple for the Tigers (52-62), who have lost five of six. Mikie Mahtook homered and scored twice.

Detroit's Drew VerHagen (0-2) gave up six runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings in his second major-league start this season.

"Across the board, I was a little bit erratic," VerHagen said. "My breaking balls, the break was all right on them, I just wasn't throwing them for strikes. You could see in their swings and their body language they were comfortable in the box. I didn't do a good job of commanding my pitches and making them uncomfortable."

The Pirates struck first in the opening inning when Frazier tripled and scored on Bell's sacrifice fly.

Detroit answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Mahtook and Miguel Cabrera reached on singles before Castellanos provided a two-out, bloop triple that landed just inside fair territory along the right-field line.

Pittsburgh tied it in the second on Gregory Polanco's leadoff double and Rodriguez's RBI single.

Bell made it 4-2 with his 20th homer. His two-out, two-run bullet over the right-field wall came on the first pitch from VerHagen.

"I threw a fastball and tried to get it in," VerHagen said. "It was a two-seam that just ran back over the plate and he jumped on it."

Mahtook's third-inning homer, which landed in the visitors' bullpen, cut the Pirates' lead to one.

Frazier ended VerHagen's day with his two-out, two-run double to left-center in the fourth.

Rodriguez greeted reliever Edward Mujica with a leadoff homer in the eighth for a 7-3 Pirates lead.

NOTES: Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen served as the designated hitter. He is the fifth different player to DH in seven interleague road games this season. ... Detroit RHP Michael Fulmer, who is on the 10-day disabled list with a right elbow injury, will throw a bullpen session on Friday or Saturday. "We're not slotting him in at this point but there's a possibility he could start in Texas," manager Brad Ausmus said. The Tigers play the Rangers Monday through Wednesday. ... The Pirates have now won their last 17 games when scoring at least four runs. ... Tigers DH Victor Martinez had gone hitless in his previous 21 at-bats prior to his fourth-inning single.

Cole powers Pirates for series finale vs. Tigers

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(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Gerrit Cole found his groove two months ago. That has kept the Pittsburgh Pirates on the fringes of the playoff race.

The Pirates have won eight of the last 10 games started by their 26-year-old right-hander. Cole has endured only one poor outing during that stretch, going six or seven innings in the nine other outings while not allowing more than three runs.

Cole will start the finale of a four-game, home-and-home series against Detroit on Thursday afternoon. He gave up 23 earned runs in his four starts before the 10-outing stretch in which he has gone 6-2 with a 2.98 ERA.

It was a learning experience for the younger members of the staff.

"He had a rough spell this year and the young men got to watch him work through it, how he continued to prepare, how he continued to show up, how he continued to not let it leak into other areas," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.

"That's the kind of behavior you want to see out of a guy with experience and a high skill-set. Now he's back in a good part of his craft, which is really fun to watch."

Cole (9-8) has lowered his season ERA to 4.00. He's 1-1 with a 2.41 ERA in three starts against the Tigers.

He'll be making his 24th start this season, three more than he had during his injury-marred 2016 campaign.

"It's been nice to be healthy and contribute," Cole said. "That's our goal here, so it's been fortunate to be given this opportunity. I've just got to keep plugging away at it."

The Pirates have won five of their last seven games to pull within 3 1/2 games of the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.

"We came in hot after the break and then we had a little bit of a disappointing road trip," Cole said. "It was good to kind of get back on our feet here in the last week."

Having a healthy and productive Cole for the stretch run will be crucial for the Pirates to stay in the race.

"Our GM (Neal Huntington) says it best: We're a really good team when Cole and (center fielder Andrew) McCutchen are playing really good baseball," Hurdle said. "There's so much truth to it."

Cole will be opposed Thursday by Drew VerHagen (0-1, 5.00 ERA), who will be making his second start this season. VerHagen allowed two runs and four hits in five innings at Baltimore on Sunday and got a no-decision.

"I felt good about it," VerHagen said. "I felt like I was pounding the zone with all my pitches and gave the team a chance to win."

VerHagen has been used mainly in long relief when he has pitched for the Tigers in the past four seasons, but he was starting regularly at the Triple-A level most of this season. He's filling in for injured Michael Fulmer (right elbow ulnar neuritis), who could return as early as next week.

VerHagen embraces the chance to start at Comerica Park.

"I'm really excited about it," he said. "I've been starting this whole year in Toledo, so I'm just kind of sticking to that same routine and trying to keep the same approach. As far as getting the opportunity to put this uniform on and start, it means a lot to me."

Tigers ace Justin Verlander has given him tips on how to throw his slider and make it look different than his curve.

"I like getting to use all my pitches," said VerHagen, who is 0-0 with an 11.57 ERA in three relief outings against Pittsburgh. "I just added a new slider, so that's kind of a work in progress, and my changeup is something that's been a process as well."

Verlander gem results in Tigers' 10-0 win over Pirates

(TSX / STATS) -- DETROIT -- Justin Verlander often flirted with no-hitters and tossed complete games earlier in his career. He nearly did both in his longest start of the season Wednesday night.

Verlander won his third consecutive start after having his no-hit bid broken up with two outs in the sixth inning and the Detroit Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak by thumping the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-0 at Comerica Park.

Josh Bell's double off the glove of third baseman Nick Castellanos was the lone hit off Verlander (8-7), whose eight-inning stint surpassed his previous season high by a full inning.

"Getting deep into ballgames, that's something that's kind of eluded me recently," said Verlander, who is 3-2 with a 1.91 ERA since July 8. "The last few starts it's gotten better and better."

Verlander, who tipped his cap to the crowd after his final inning, struck out four of the last five batters he faced. He walked three and struck out six.

The night could have been more special if Castellanos, who was playing well off the line, could have gathered in Bell's grounder.

"You can't help but notice it, especially after four or five innings," Verlander said. "But you just kind of remind yourself there's a long way to go. ... Nick almost made a great play. It was a hard-hit ball, a clean hit."

Verlander's outing provides even more evidence for contending teams that he could be a missing piece to a championship. A deal beyond the non-waiver deadline is more unlikely but not impossible.

"Early in the season, he had some command issues, he had some walks," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "That's calmed down a bit, but it's kind of like he did a couple years ago in the second half of the season. He's really shown that he's still got Justin Verlander stuff of old."

Castellanos led the Tigers' attack with three hits and matched a career high with five RBIs, including a bases-clearing triple in the seventh inning. Ian Kinsler supplied a solo homer and a three-run double while scoring four runs for Detroit (52-61).

Ivan Nova (10-9) gave up six runs and 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Pirates (56-58), who had won five of their last six games.

Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said the team needed to forget about the lopsided loss quickly.

"That's the best approach for us," he said. "It was a game for a while and then it got away from us late."

Hurdle elected to leave Nova in the game during the seventh after he issued his first two walks of the game and hit Miguel Cabrera with a pitch. That backfired when Castellanos drilled a pitch into the right-center field gap to make it 6-0.

"He's still always got a ground ball in his pocket," Hurdle said. "When you look at him, that's what you think. So I may have asked him to do something that maybe he didn't have the weaponry to do at that particular point in time."

The Tigers used three singles to score a first-inning run. Kinsler led off with a base hit, advanced to second on another by Cabrera and scored on Castellanos' hit.

Detroit tacked on two runs in the second. John Hicks led off with a double to the right field corner and advanced to third when Gregory Polanco bobbled the ball. He scored on Andrew Romine's sacrifice fly.

Kinsler made it 3-0 with a solo shot over the left-field wall.

NOTES: Detroit RHP Michael Fulmer played catch from approximately 80 feet and could be close to returning from the 10-day disabled list. Fulmer, who is recovering from right elbow ulnar neuritis, will throw a bullpen session Friday if there are no setbacks. Manager Brad Ausmus said Fulmer would likely return to the rotation next week after missing only two starts. ... The Tigers optioned 3B Jeimer Candelario to Triple-A Toledo to make room for SS Jose Iglesias, who was activated off the bereavement list. .. Detroit LF Justin Upton, who leads the team in home runs and RBIs, got the night off. ... Pirates LF Starling Marte had multi-hit games in his last four starts at Comerica Park. ... Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli went 0-for-3. He had reached base in his previous 10 career games at Comerica with at least one plate appearances.

Williams, Pirates one-hit Tigers

(TSX / STATS) -- PITTSBURGH -- Trevor Williams couldn't win one of Pittsburgh's open spots in the rotation coming out of spring, and when he got the opportunity to be a starter in May, things didn't flow right away.

They flowed pretty well Monday night.

Williams pitched one-hit ball over seven scoreless innings, and John Jaso smacked a pinch-hit, two-run homer as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 3-0 at PNC Park.

"Experience is the biggest confidence builder," Williams said. "If I'm getting the ball every fifth day, it's giving me confidence. When I see I can get guys without my greatest stuff, it gives me confidence that I can go to it when I don't have it that day."

George Kontos, in his Pittsburgh debut after being picked up off waivers Saturday, and Juan Nicasio each pitched a perfect inning in relief to complete the shutout. Nicasio earned his second save.

"Can't win if you don't score," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said.

The Tigers' only hit was a leadoff single by James McCann in the third.

Williams (5-4) walked two, struck out five and threw a career-high 107 pitches. He was perfect through two innings and pitched to one batter over the minimum through six.

He was coming off two consecutive no-decisions in which he allowed a combined three earned runs. He has yielded more than three earned runs just once in his first nine starts at PNC Park.

Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said Williams was building toward an outing like this, even if the right-hander wasn't perfect.

"He's had a number of performances where he hasn't had a run, low number of hits going into the sixth, seventh, eighth innings," Hurdle said. "To be able to finish it off, some of the indicator numbers weren't where you'd think they might have to be have this kind of outing. It was just old-fashioned pitching tonight. Old-fashioned really good pitching today.

"Extremely solid, solid, aggressive ballgame."

It was one that left Williams feeling pretty good about his overall game.

"I think I'm pitching more like myself," Williams said. "At the beginning of the year, I was getting away of who I was as a pitcher. When I was a reliever I was trying to throw it 95 (mph) every pitch. That's not the pitcher that got me to the major leagues.

"I got punched in the face early in the year starting like that. Had to take a step back. Maybe it's fastball location, it's changing speeds, going up and down. Luckily, we found that and recognized that. We've continued to build on it since May."

Jaso, batting for Williams, hit his eighth homer, third as a pinch hitter, in the seventh inning, giving Pittsburgh a cushion. The Pirates were riding a 1-0 lead since Francisco Cervelli's RBI double in the second.

Pittsburgh (55-57) won its second straight. Detroit (51-60) lost its third in a row.

Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann (7-9) had a strong outing, just not as strong as Williams' performance. Zimmermann, attempting to win consecutive starts for the first time since late April, allowed three runs on five hits over seven innings with two strikeouts and three walks.

"It's unfortunate because (Zimmermann) pitched outstanding," Ausmus said. "He gave up a two-run homer to Jaso, but, really, he was holding them off. He couldn't hold them off forever."

With one out in the second, Gregory Polanco was hit by a pitch. Cervelli drove in Polanco with a full-count, two-out double to the right-center gap for a 1-0 lead.

"I was going after him no matter what," Zimmermann said of Cervelli, the No. 8 hitter. "I always want the pitcher leading off the next inning. Sometimes it burns you. If I get him out, I've got the pitcher leading off the next inning."

In the seventh, Cervelli walked with two outs and scored on Jaso's homer to right to make it 3-0.

"I made the pitches when I needed to, except for that last one to Jaso," Zimmermann said. "I think I went to the well one too many times with the curveball and I left it (in the) middle. If I throw it away where the other ones were, it would probably be a different result."

The pitch fooled Jaso, but he was able to adjust.

"I was looking for a heater," he said. "(The curveball) just happened to be up at my eyes.

"Just basically at the end hung that. It was either ball four or I'm hitting it somewhere. I know he wasn't trying to throw it for a strike probably ... but we're all human. We make mistakes. I don't mind that."

NOTES: Pittsburgh RHP George Kontos reported to the team and tossed a 1-2-3 inning. He was acquired Saturday off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. The Pirates cleared a roster spot by optioning RHP Dovydas Neverauskas to Triple-A Indianapolis. Neverauskas pitched a total of four scoreless innings in three relief appearances for Pittsburgh this month ... Pittsburgh OF Danny Ortiz cleared waivers and was outrighted to Indianapolis. ... Detroit 3B Jeimer Candelario was promoted from Triple-A Toledo while SS Jose Iglesias is on bereavement leave.