SPORTS

Live Tigers blog: Detroit beats A's, 7-3

Bruce Mason
The Detroit News

Anthony Gose broke out of a slump with a double and two-run homer, and Anibal Sanchez earned a pair of season-high marks to lead the Tigers to a 7-3 victory against the A’s Thursday at Comerica Park.

The Tigers (11-10) won three of four from the A’s.

Sanchez had season-highs for strikeouts (nine) and walks (seven) in 5 2/3 innings to make odd history: He’s the first Tigers pitcher with three or few hits, seven-plus walks and nine-plus strikeouts since Bill Laxton in May of 1976.

Nick Castellanos doubled twice and Miguel Cabrera was 2-for-5 with an RBI (9-for-17 series) to help chase Oakland starter Chris Bassitt, who gave up 10 hits and seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Ian Kinsler (2-for-4) had an RBI double, Jarrod Saltalamacchia tripled for the first time in four years (Boston, 2012) and Justin Upton had an RBI.

The Tigers seek to better their 1-5 AL Central record Friday as they begin a three-game series at Minnesota.

Tigers No. 1 prospect Michael Fulmer, a right-handed pitcher, will make his MLB debut in Minnesota. Fulmer is a former first-round pick of the Mets who was acquired in a July trade for Yoenis Cespedes.

Top 9: Davis gets RBI single

Oakland designated hitter Khris Davis belted a two-out, RBI single off reliever Blaine Hardy to cut the Tigers lead to 7-3 in the ninth.

Hardy has been pulled. Tigers closer Francisco Rodriguez will take the mound with runners on the corners.

Bottom 8: Madson gets 1-2-3 inning

A’s reliever Ryan Madson earns a 1-2-3 inning, but the damage has been inflicted by the Tigers' bats.

The Tigers offense recorded 24 runs and 38 hits in the four-game series.

It’s 7-2 Tigers entering the top of the ninth.

Top 8: J.D. Martinez makes running catch

Perhaps the defensive play of the day occurred in the top of the eighth: Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez made a running catch in the right center field gap to rob Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt of an extra-base hit.

Tigers left-handed reliever Blaine Hardy pitched a scoreless inning. That’s four straight shutout innings for Detroit pitchers.

Bottom 7: Doolittle extends scoreless innings streak

Third baseman Nick Castellanos (2-for-3) drew a leadoff walk to reach base for the third time today, but A’s reliever Sean Doolittle extended his scoreless innings streak to 4.2 innings.

Doolittle retired Tigers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (fly out), shortstop Jose Iglesias (ground out) and center fielder Anthony Gose (strike out).

Top 7: Tigers turn 29th double play

Oakland second baseman Jed Lowrie (7-for-15 in the series) led off the seventh inning with a single, but Tigers reliever Kyle Ryan induced a double-play ball from Josh Reddick.

The Tigers turned their 29th double play of the season (second in American League).

Oakland’s Khris Davis lined out deep to left field to end the inning.

Ryan has faced four batters and allowed one hit.

Bottom 6: Runner stranded at third

J.D. Martinez drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third on Miguel Cabrera’s ground out, but was stranded 90-feet away.

A’s reliever Fernando Rodriguez got out of the inning by retiring Victor Martinez (pop out) and Justin Upton (line out).

Top 6: Season-highs for Sanchez; Tigers lead 7-2

Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez exited with a pair of season-high performances: Nine strikeouts and seven walks.

Sanchez, who led the American League in ERA in 2013 (2.57), finished his day allowing two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. He gave up three hits.

Sanchez is on pace to get the win, which would end a mini-personal skid of back-to-back losses.

Tigers reliever Kyle Ryan entered the game with runners on the corners and induced an inning-ending popout to Oakland's Billy Burns.

Bottom 5: Salty triples, but stranded

Tigers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia led off the inning with a triple — his first in four years (Boston, 2012) — but the Tigers could not push him across the plate.

A’s reliever Fernando Rodriguez retired Jose Iglesias (ground out), Anthony Gose (strike out) and Ian Kinsler (line out) to end the inning.

The Tigers have 11 hits today. They have 38 hits in the four-game series, thus far.

Top 5: Sanchez 8 Ks

It’s been an up-and-down performance for Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez — but mostly on the upside, as the Tigers lead 7-2.

Sanchez has eight strikeouts and five walks (both season-highs) through five innings. He's given up three hits.

In the top of the fourth, A’s second baseman Jed Lowrie extended his hitting streak to seven games with a one-out double. Right fielder Josh Reddick drew a two-out walk.

But Sanchez ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts to Khris Davis (80-mph splitter) and Stephen Vogt (92-mph, four-seam fastball).

Sanchez also had eight strikeouts at Houston on April 17.

Tigers' Anthony Gose slides safely into home while Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt cannot hold onto the throw in the third inning to tie the game 1-1.

Bottom 4: Gose blasts 2-run homer; Tigers lead 7-2

Anthony Gose said earlier in the week that he was swinging and missing on the breaking ball.

Today, he’s seeing the ball perfectly (2-for-2).

Gose blasted a 90-mph sinker deep into the right-field seats for a two-run homer off Oakland starter Chris Bassitt and delighted the Detroit dugout.

In his previous at-bat, Gose belted a leadoff double to ignite a four-run third inning. He was 1-for-13 on the Tigers’ seven-game homestand entering today.

Justin Upton’s two-out RBI single scored Ian Kinsler (walk) and ended the day for Bassitt, who gave up 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Right-handed reliever Fernando Rodriguez is now pitching for Oakland.

Top 4: Vogt homers to cut lead

A’s catcher Stephen Vogt belted a leadoff homer to right field off Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez to cut the Detroit lead to 4-2.

From there, Sanchez struck out left fielder Mark Canha (92-mph sinker) and third baseman Chris Coghlan (83-mph slider).

First baseman Yonder Alonso drew a two-out walk, but Sanchez ended the inning by inducing a fly out from shortstop Marcus Semien.

Sanchez has six strikeouts and four walks through four innings. He’s given up two hits on 72 pitches.

Sanchez allowed 29 homers in 2015, which was worst in the American League.

Bottom 3: Four-run inning for Detroit

One night after scoring a season-high nine runs, the explosive offense continues.

Ian Kinsler (double), Miguel Cabrera (single) and Nick Castellanos (double) delivered RBI hits off Oakland starter Chris Bassitt to help give the Tigers a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the third.

Anthony Gose led off the inning with a double. Kinsler (2-for-2) doubled to tie the game and extend his American League lead to 11 multi-hit games.

From there, J.D. Martinez walked and Cabrera singled to give the Tigers the lead.

Victor Martinez flied out — which scored J.D. Martinez, although it wasn’t a sacrifice fly. And Castellanos hit a two-out RBI double deep to center field to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

Gose was 1-for-13 on the Tigers’ seven-game homestand until his leadoff double.

Eight Tigers batted in the inning.

Top 3: Reddick's RBI single gives A's lead

Oakland right fielder Josh Reddick delivered a two-out RBI single to give the A’s a 1-0 lead.

Tigers right-handed starter Anibal Sanchez walked back-to-back batters with two outs — and it cost him a run.

A's center fielder Billy Burns drew a two-out walk and stole second (his fifth steal of the year). Second baseman Jed Lowrie, who is hitting .556 with runners in scoring position (10 for 18), managed to draw a walk, as well.

Burns stole third, uncontested, and Reddick made the Tigers pay with a two-strike single.

Sanchez has four strikeouts.

Bottom 2: Castellanos stranded at second

Nick Castellanos delivered a one-out double down the third-base line. He’s hitting .354 (17-for-48) across his past 14 games.

But Oakland starter Chris Bassitt stranded Castellanos at second base to end the inning. Tigers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia struck out looking (94-mph, four-seam fastball) and Jose Iglesias lined out softly to shortstop.

Tigers left fielder Justin Upton led off the inning and struck out for the 36th time this year, which leads the majors. He has two hits in his past 25 at-bats.

Top 2: Sanchez 3 Ks through two innings

Tigers right-handed starter Anibal Sanchez has three strikeouts through two innings.

Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt drew a one-out walk. But Sanchez struck out left fielder Mark Canha and third baseman Chris Coghlan swinging — both on an 84-mph slider. Coghlan is 0-for-11 in the series with four strikeouts.

Bot 1: A's Bassitt escapes trouble 

Oakland right-hander Chris Bassitt yielded two singles, but escaped without giving up a run.

Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler hit a bloop single down the right-field line. (He’s hit safely in 18 of his first 20 games to start the season.) But newly-inserted No. 2 hitter J.D. Martinez grounded into a double play.

Miguel Cabrera (8-for-13 in series) delivered a two-out single, but Victor Martinez struck out looking to end the inning (82-mph change up).

Top 1: Sanchez has 1-2-3 inning

Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez cruises through the A’s lineup in the top of the first with a 1-2-3 inning.

Oakland center fielder Billy Burns lined out to first base, and second baseman Jed Lowrie struck out on a foul tip (86-mph splitter). Right fielder Josh Reddick — who belted a homer off Sanchez in Game 3 of the 2013 ALDS at Comerica Park — grounded out to deep second base.

A's bat in top of first

Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez was without answers regarding his poor outing last week against Cleveland, and seeks to put an end to his back-to-back losses.

In the top of the first, he will face Oakland center fielder Billy Burns, second baseman Jed Lowrie and right fielder Josh Reddick.

Sanchez’s longest outing thus far is 5 2/3 innings (at Pittsburgh, April 12).

How to watch: Tigers vs. A's 

The Tigers look to take three out of four when they wrap up their four-game series with the A's Thursday at Comerica Park. First pitch is 1:10 p.m.

Right-hander Anibal Sanchez (2-2, 7.00) starts for the Tigers.  Right-hander Chris Bassitt (0-1, 4.44) goes for the A's.

On Wednesday, J.D. Martinez slammed his third home run of the season while driving in four runs and Victor Martinez also knocked in three runs in the Tigers' 9-4 victory over the A's. Justin Verlander picked up his second win, allowing three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 6½ innings.

A lineup shuffle by manager Brad Ausmus paid off. He moved J.D. Martinez to the No. 2 spot and dropped Justin Upton to the Martinez's No. 5 slot for Wednesday's game.

After Thursday's game, the Tigers go on a six-game road trip starting Friday against the Twins. Rookie right-hander Michael Fulmer will make his debut for the Tigers, having been summoned from Triple A Toledo to replace Shane Greene who went on the DL with a finger blister.

A'S LINEUP

1. Billy Burns, CF

2. Jed Lowrie, 2B

3. Josh Reddick, RF

4. Khris Davis, DH

5. Stephen Vogt, C

6. Mark Canha, LF

7. Chris Coghlan, 3B

8. Yonder Alonso, 1B

9. Marcus Semien, SS

Chris Bassitt, SP

TIGERS LINEUP

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B

2. J.D. Martinez, RF

3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

4. Victor Martinez, DH

5. Justin Upton, LF

6. Nick Castellanos, 3B

7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C

8. Jose Iglesias, SS

9. Anthony Gose, CF

Anibal Sanchez, SP

Tigers vs. A's

What: Last of a four-game series

When: Thursday, 1:10 p.m.

Where: Comerica Park

Local TV: FSD

Internet streaming: MLB.TV

Local radio: 97.1 FM

Satellite radio: Sirius, SIRI 212; XM, XM 176; SiriusXM, SXM 176 (Internet 849)