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Tigers rally to defeat Giants

Jul 3, 2011 - 11:03 PM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Magglio Ordonez delivered a two-out, two-run single in the seventh and Ryan Raburn made a game-saving catch a half-inning later, as the Detroit Tigers downed the San Francisco Giants, 6-3, in comeback fashion to avoid a sweep in the finale of a three-game interleague set.

Trailing 3-2, Ordonez strode to the plate with the bases loaded and laced a 2-1 fastball from Santiago Casilla up the middle to put the Tigers on top.

With runners on first and second and two down in the eighth, Aaron Rowand drove a 3-2 slider into the gap in left-center. Raburn gave chase and threw himself in the direction of the sinking ball. Horizontal and fully extended, he made the catch inches from the ground to preserve the lead in thrilling fashion.

Brennan Boesch went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a double and Brandon Inge knocked in two eighth-inning insurance runs.

Rick Porcello (7-6) lasted seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six to earn the win.

"I thought his stuff was much more crisp," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of Porcello. "I thought the ball was exploding a little bit late into the strike zone at the plate, at the right time. I thought he was much, much better today."

Jeremy Affeldt (1-2) took the loss for the Giants, who fell for just the third time in 12 games.

Jose Valverde worked around a walk and a single in the ninth to earn his 20th save of the season.

Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong retired the first two batters he faced in the seventh, but was pulled after issuing a one-out walk to Inge. Affeldt came in and walked pinch-hitter Jhonny Peralta, before Boesch slapped a routine grounder to third. Miguel Tejada fielded the ball cleanly, but Pablo Sandoval couldn't scoop his errant throw, as the Tigers loaded the bases.

Casilla was brought in to face Ordonez, who responded with the decisive single.

"We wish we weren't in those situations where those errors meant so much," said Giants catcher Chris Stewart. "It's just one of those things where the defense didn't come through."

In the eighth, Inge's two-out, two-run triple to deep center sealed the final margin.

The Giants struck first as Aubrey Huff crossed the plate on Brandon Crawford's fourth-inning groundout.

Vogelsong, who was named to his first All-Star squad prior to the game, carried a no-hitter into the fourth, but Boesch, ripped an 0-1 changeup off the foul pole in right to put the Tigers on the board.

In the fifth, Emmanuel Burriss was hit by a pitch and Sandoval followed with a double. Burriss crossed the plate on Porcello's wild pitch and, after Huff was intentionally walked, Cody Ross flared a one-hopper toward short. The ball was misplayed by Ramon Santiago -- although Ross was credited with a hit -- and Sandoval came around to score, giving San Francisco a 3-1 advantage.

Detroit wouldn't record its second hit until the bottom of the sixth, and once again it was Boesch, this time ripping a one-out double to right. He came around to score two batters later on Miguel Cabrera's single to left.

Game Notes

Prior to the contest, Detroit recalled pitcher Adam Wilk from Triple-A Toledo and optioned pitcher Brayan Villarreal to Toledo...Previously, Porcello had dropped three consecutive decisions...Sandoval extended his career-high hit streak to 14 games...The Giants will send pitchers Vogelsong, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Brian Wilson to the Mid-Summer Classic. The Tigers will send hurlers Justin Verlander and Jose Valverde, as well as Cabrera and catcher Alex Avila...On Sunday, the Tigers fired pitching coach Rick Knapp. Former bullpen coach Jeff Jones was named as Knapp's replacement and Mike Rojas filled the void left by Jones.