Dose of Venom: Miguel Cabrera showcases MVP talent as Tigers squeak past Diamondbacks

Jul 22, 2014, 6:47 AM | Updated: 3:20 pm

PHOENIX — Miguel Cabrera ripped a 425-foot single off the top of the center field wall — narrowly missing a home run by inches — to propel the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night at Chase Field.

Cabrera, 2-for-4 in the game with one RBI, was in fact thrown out on the play trying to reach second base, but Arizona outfielder Mark Trumbo played the ball perfectly off the wall and got the assist.

Furthermore, the umpiring crew initiated and later confirmed its own review of the play to make sure the ball didn’t travel above the yellow line.

Arizona looked lifeless in the first third of the game, failing to get a hit off Justin Verlander (9-8, 4.84 ERA) until the fourth inning, which is when it did most of its damage offensively. Aside from that frame and a rally in the seventh, Verlander was very much in control throughout the evening, finishing with a quality start of 6.2 innings pitched with six hits allowed, three earned runs, three walks and five strikeouts.

The Tigers got the majority of their offense via home runs from Torii Hunter and Austin Jackson. Vidal Nuño (1-6, 5.13 ERA) remarked after the game that he struggled with his consistency and left both pitches in their wheelhouses. Gerardo Parra would later get Nuño off the hook when he tied the game with a solo home run in the sixth inning off Verlander.

Following Cabrera’s go-ahead RBI, the D-backs’ best comeback attempt fell short in the seventh inning. Ender Inciarte singled as a pinch-hitter with one out, but got picked off in the middle of David Peralta’s at-bat. Peralta ended up walking and Aaron Hill put him in scoring position when he singled afterward, but Paul Goldschmidt couldn’t drive either of them in, grounding into a fielder’s choice.

THE GOOD

The D-backs looked like a completely different team in the fourth inning versus Verlander. After appearing lifeless the first time through the lineup, they rallied for two runs to make the game 3-2. Hill and Goldschmidt notched consecutive hard hits to produce two runners in scoring position with no outs. Had Verlander not gotten a piece of Miguel Montero’s frozen rope during the next at-bat, the game’s outcome may have been different. The former AL Cy Young winner deflected a line drive off his glove to Ian Kinsler, who was able to retire Montero while allowing only one run to score. This out allowed Verlander to later walk the bases loaded and face the opposing pitcher, Nuño, with two out and escape the jam.

THE BAD

Inciarte made a costly mental error on base paths, getting picked off first base again in the seventh inning of a close game.

Nuño has become a victim of a string of home runs in his recent starts. After making a bad pitch resulting in a grand slam to Buster Posey in his previous outing, he left two pitches in Jackson and Hunter’s wheelhouses that were crushed for homers.

HE SAID IT

“We could’ve pitched around him [Cabrera] definitely, to set up the double play … but more importantly, we made a bad pitch to him,” said D-backs manager Kirk Gibson on Cabrera’s game-winning RBI.

STAT OF THE GAME

Verlander may end up as the most dominant pitcher in interleague play in MLB history. He now has a 13-game interleague winning streak and is 24-2 lifetime vs. the NL, including 6-0 vs. the NL West and 2-0 with a 1.84 ERA (three ER in 14.2 innings pitched) against the Diamondbacks.

NOTED

– Matt Stites has yet to allow a run in seven appearances at Chase Field with 8.0 shutout innings.

– According to the Diamondbacks, they have scored 26 of their 31 runs after the fifth inning this season over their last nine games.

UP NEXT

A pair of right-handed pitchers face off in the second of three games between the D-backs and Tigers. Chase Anderson (6-4, 3.64 ERA) makes his first career start against Detroit, which will send Rick Porcello (12-5, 3.39) to the mound. The Tigers will try to pad their 6.5 game lead in the AL Central over the Cleveland Indians while the D-backs jostle for position with the San Diego Padres for third place in the NL West. Porcello last faced Arizona in 2010, but will be making his Chase Field debut Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. The game can be heard on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM with the pregame show beginning at 6:10 p.m.

Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, rear, tosses his bat after striking out as Arizona Diamondbacks' Miguel Montero chases down a dropped ball during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt strikes out during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers' Torii Hunter (48) celebrate his two run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with teammate Victor Martinez (41) during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Vidal Nuno throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Vidal Nuno throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera playfully looks to home plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera sits in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers' Austin Jackson (14) looks upward after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Diamondbacks' Vidal Nuno, right, adjusts his cap as catcher Miguel Montero walks away during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera talks with Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt (44) after his base hit during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera follows through on a base hit against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander walks back to the mound after giving up a base hit to Arizona Diamondbacks' Mark Trumbo during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt (44) follows through on a double against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt scores on a base hit by Mark Trumbo as Detroit Tigers catcher Bryan Holaday looks on during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers' Torii Hunter flips his bat after striking out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Diamondbacks' Gerardo Parra celebrates his solo home run against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera follows through on an RBI single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera (24) is tagged out trying to advance to second after hitting an RBI single as Arizona Diamondbacks' Aaron Hill applies the tag during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander, center, talks with catcher Bryan Holaday, left, as manager Brad Ausmus walks to the mound to take Verlander out of the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers catcher Bryan Holaday, left, greets closer Joe Nathan (36) after a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. The Tigers won 4-3. At right is Tigers' Victor Martinez. (AP Photo/Matt York) Detroit Tigers catcher Bryan Holaday takes off his mask as Arizona Diamondbacks' Martin Prado looks at the umpire after being called out on strikes during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 21, 2014, in Phoenix. The Tigers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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