Big homer keeps Cabrera on track

Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer to move into at least a tie for the lead in all three triple crown categories and Justin Verlander struck out eight in seven innings to help the Detroit Tigers stay in front in the AL Central with a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.

Cabrera's blast in the eighth inning off Casey Fien was his 43rd home run for the year, moving him into a tie with Texas star Josh Hamilton for the AL lead. He also leads the AL in batting average (.327) and RBI (136) as he looks to become the first player since 1967 to lead the league in all three categories.

Verlander (17-8) allowed four hits and one unearned run to drop his ERA to 2.64 for the Tigers, who moved two games ahead of the Chicago White Sox in the division.

Cabrera's homer proved to be a big one after Ryan Doumit hit a grand slam off of Joaquin Benoit in the eighth.

Al Alburquerque helped the Detroit bullpen do what it couldn't do against the lowly Twins on Friday night - finish the game. Jose Valverde picked up his 33rd save.

Neither the Tigers nor the Sox will qualify for one of two wild cards in the American League, so their only way in is through the division door.

After wrapping up the series against Minnesota on Sunday, the Tigers will finish the regular season with three games in Kansas City. The White Sox have one more game against Tampa Bay before heading to Cleveland for three games.

In Chicago, the White Sox lost to Tampa Bay 10-4 to continue its end of season slide. The Rays' Matt Moore pitched one-hit ball into the sixth and Matt Joyce homered twice as Tampa Bay made it nine wins from its past 10 games.

The Rays remain three games behind Oakland in the chase for the second AL wild card, after the Athletics beat Seattle 7-4 Saturday.

(China Daily 10/01/2012 page11)