The Detroit Tigers inched closer to the American League Wild Card with a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Miguel Cabrera led the way for the Tigers, who are just a 0.5 game behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the second Wild Card spot. The first baseman finished 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI.
Tigers jump out to early lead
The Tigers jumped to an early lead on a home run courtesy of leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler. His 28th homer of the season gave Detroit a 1-0 lead. Moments later, Cabrera scorched a fastball from Matt Wisler at 107 miles per hour over the center field.
Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler (3) rounds the bases on a home run against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning Friday in Atlanta. (Brett Davis / USA TODAY)
With a 3-0 lead, Cabrera hit his second home run of the game. The slugger's solo shot went to dead center field and increased Detroit's edge to 4-0 in the third inning.
"For him it's pretty normal," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said, "but he's set a standard offensively that few have ever equaled in the history of the game."
Detroit made it a 5-0 lead on an RBI single from James McCann in the fifth inning. The lead was upped to 6-0 in the seventh inning as Justin Upton launched his 30th home run of the season.
"We know we've got to take care of our business and see what happens on the other end," Upton said. "It worked in our favor tonight."
After struggling to get through the heart of the order, Wisler's night was finished after 4.2 innings of work. He allowed five runs on nine hits and two walks, while earning just three strikeouts.
Brandon Snyder and Matt Kemp homered for Atlanta in the seventh and eighth inning, but it was too little and too late.
The starting pitcher for the Tigers, Daniel Norris, went 6.2 innings deep, allowing one run on five hits and two walks. The left-hander struck out eight in the victorious outing.
Tigers starting pitcher Daniel Norris (44) follows through after a pitch against the Braves in the first inning Friday in Atlanta. (Brett Davis / USA TODAY)
"I completely changed my game plan," Norris said, regarding how he pitched with the lead. "You go out there and you have a lead like that, `OK, I'm attacking these guys no matter what.' This offense just really makes things easy sometimes."
Ausmus called Francisco Rodriguez to the mound in the ninth inning and K-Rod struck out the side to secure the 6-2 victory.
The Boston Red Sox defeated the Blue Jays on Friday, which allowed the Tigers to move just 0.5 games back of the second American League Wild Card spot.
"We do appreciate the help, but we've still got to take care of business here," Ausmus said. "We were able to do it tonight."
Up Next
The Tigers and Braves will battle in Game 2 of the series on Saturday at 7:10 PM ET. Detroit will send right-handed pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (9-6, 4.88 ERA) to face Aaron Blair (1-7, 8.02 ERA) of Atlanta.