DETROIT -- The Tigers needed some heroics Sunday night to break the struggles that had them on the brink of a sweep to the Giants and a season-high deficit to the Royals in the American League Central. Miguel Cabrera's heroics were no surprise. Kyle Lobstein's contribution was.While Cabrera's fifth homer this week powered a three-run third inning against Tim Hudson, Lobstein held down San Francisco's previously torrid offense with 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball for his first Major League win, a 6-1 Tigers victory at Comerica Park. 
The win kept Detroit within two games of Kansas City as the Royals arrive for three games beginning Monday afternoon. A sweep would now move the Tigers in front, rather than simply tying. Taking two out of three would move Detroit within one game rather than two.Sunday's win also put the Tigers within a half-game of Seattle for the second AL Wild Card spot.At a time of the season when math takes priority, from magic numbers to remaining games, the Tigers finally made their numbers work. While the numbers from Cabrera looked familiar, Lobstein's pitching line looked like a veteran starter rather than a late-season callup in his third Major League start.Five days after striking out 10 batters over 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision at Cleveland, Lobstein didn't have nearly as many swings and misses from Giants hitters. However, he also had far fewer situations with traffic on the basepaths, allowing two walks, three singles and a double. His lone run allowed was also his lone runner in scoring position, when Gregor Blanco doubled and scored on Angel Pagan's infield single in the fifth.By then, Lobstein had a lead to protect against Hudson, who hadn't lost to the Tigers in seven starts since 2001 but also hadn't faced them in 10 years. Hudson induced nine ground-ball outs in six innings, but paid dearly for the third-inning sinker that Cabrera sent deep into the Detroit evening sky and into the Giants' bullpen beyond left-center field.Cabrera's 22nd home run of the season followed a pair of two-homer games earlier in the week. The reigning AL MVP Award winner has hit as many home runs over seven September games as he did over his previous 73 games from June 11 through August 31.Cabrera singled in an add-on run in a three-run seventh for his 100th RBI of the season, his 11th straight year reaching the century mark. Torii Hunter churned out three singles to center, drove in a run and scored another, while Ian Kinsler and Victort Martinez added RBI doubles.Jason Beck / MLB.com
The win kept Detroit within two games of Kansas City as the Royals arrive for three games beginning Monday afternoon. A sweep would now move the Tigers in front, rather than simply tying. Taking two out of three would move Detroit within one game rather than two.Sunday's win also put the Tigers within a half-game of Seattle for the second AL Wild Card spot.At a time of the season when math takes priority, from magic numbers to remaining games, the Tigers finally made their numbers work. While the numbers from Cabrera looked familiar, Lobstein's pitching line looked like a veteran starter rather than a late-season callup in his third Major League start.Five days after striking out 10 batters over 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision at Cleveland, Lobstein didn't have nearly as many swings and misses from Giants hitters. However, he also had far fewer situations with traffic on the basepaths, allowing two walks, three singles and a double. His lone run allowed was also his lone runner in scoring position, when Gregor Blanco doubled and scored on Angel Pagan's infield single in the fifth.By then, Lobstein had a lead to protect against Hudson, who hadn't lost to the Tigers in seven starts since 2001 but also hadn't faced them in 10 years. Hudson induced nine ground-ball outs in six innings, but paid dearly for the third-inning sinker that Cabrera sent deep into the Detroit evening sky and into the Giants' bullpen beyond left-center field.Cabrera's 22nd home run of the season followed a pair of two-homer games earlier in the week. The reigning AL MVP Award winner has hit as many home runs over seven September games as he did over his previous 73 games from June 11 through August 31.Cabrera singled in an add-on run in a three-run seventh for his 100th RBI of the season, his 11th straight year reaching the century mark. Torii Hunter churned out three singles to center, drove in a run and scored another, while Ian Kinsler and Victort Martinez added RBI doubles.Jason Beck / MLB.com
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