Eduardo Rodriguez threw seven shutout innings, Spencer Torkelson delivered the game’s only runs with a third-inning single and the Detroit Tigers celebrated Miguel Cabrera’s last road going-away party with a 2-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday afternoon.
Cabrera, who has announced he will retire at the end of the Tigers’ season-ending homestand, went 0-for-4 with a walk in his 44th and final regular-season performance in Oakland.
Rodriguez (12-9) teamed with Jason Foley and Alex Lange on a seven-hitter, with the veteran left-hander allowing five hits and four walks in his seven innings. He struck out five.
Lange, who retired four of the five batters he faced to complete Detroit’s 13th shutout of the season, was credited with his 25th save.
A’s starter JP Sears (5-13) struck out five of the first eight batters he saw before Parker Meadows ignited a two-run third with a double.
A Matt Vierling walk and Andy Ibanez single loaded the bases for Torkelson, who ran his season RBI total to a team-leading 88 with a single to right field.
Sears was pulled after five innings, having allowed just the two runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out seven.
Oakland’s best chance to score came in the fourth after Esteury Ruiz doubled and Zack Gelof walked with no outs.
They stole second and third, but Ruiz was gunned down at the plate trying to score on Brent Rooker’s grounder to shortstop, before Rodriguez induced Aledmys Diaz to bounce into an inning-ending double play.
The A’s also loaded the bases in the fifth, but that came with two outs. Ruiz grounded out to end that threat.
Ruiz, who had two of Oakland’s seven hits, also had a steal in the first inning. The rookie leads the American League in stolen bases with 65.
Shea Langeliers had a pair of doubles and Rooker a pair of singles for the A’s (48-108).
Torkelson. Ibanez and Meadows collected two hits apiece for the Tigers (73-83), who managed a 2-2 split in Oakland to cap a 6-4 trip through three California sites on the Cabrera going-away tour.
–Field Level Media