Austin Romine had three hits, scored a run and drove in two more and the Detroit Tigers pounded out 18 hits while holding off the visiting Chicago Cubs 7-6 on Wednesday.
Miguel Cabrera and Jonathan Schoop each had three hits, a run scored and an RBI, while Cameron Maybin also rapped three hits and scored a run. Niko Goodrum drove in two runs for Detroit, which took two games in the three-game series.
Nico Hoerner had three hits, two runs scored and an RBI and Kyle Schwarber hit a solo homer for the Cubs.
Chicago scored three runs in the ninth but left a runner stranded at first as Buck Farmer recorded three outs after allowing four consecutive hits.
Joe Jimenez (1-1) gave up a run in one inning of relief but picked up the victory. Ryan Tepera (0-1), who allowed three runs while getting just one out, took the loss.
Chicago starter Jon Lester allowed one run on eight hits in five innings. Detroit starter Michael Fulmer gave up two runs on three hits in three innings.
Chicago outfielder Jason Heyward, who is Black, chose not to play after being in the original lineup as a protest against racial injustice.
The Cubs scored two runs in the third on Anthony Rizzo’s RBI single and Javier Baez’s sacrifice fly.
Detroit scored a run in the fourth but wasted an opportunity for a bigger inning. Jorge Bonifacio led off with a single and moved to third on Maybin’s double. Romine singled to bring home Bonifacio with still no outs.
Maybin was tagged out in a rundown trying to score on Isaac Paredes’ tapper. Lester also retired the next two batters to escape further damage.
Schwarber made it 3-1 in the sixth with his blast to left off Jimenez.
Detroit took a 6-3 lead with five runs in the bottom of the inning.
Maybin and Romine hit back-to-back doubles to get the rally started. Following two groundouts, Schoop hit an RBI single to tie the game. Schoop advanced on a Cabrera single and scored on Jeimer Candelario’s single to left. Goodrum’s two-run double brought in the last two runs of the inning.
–Field Level Media
