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Thames' two-run blast helps Tigers down Padres

Jun 22, 2008 - 6:13 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Marcus Thames belted a two-run, pinch-hit home run to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 7-5 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday, evening the three-game interleague series at one apiece.

Thames, who batted for Curtis Granderson with the score even at 5-5 in the seventh, sent an 0-1 pitch from reliever Justin Hampson over the right-center field wall to give the Tigers a 7-5 lead.

The blast continued a torrid stretch for Thames in which nine of his last 10 hits have gone for home runs.

"Everybody was pumped up," Thames said. "(Hampson) hung a changeup and I put a good swing on it. I hit that ball good but I busted my (rear) around the bases because, in this place, you never know."

"We had Marcus sitting (on the bench), and he's always a threat," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Marcus just been on a roll that's unbelievable, really. It's hard to explain. When guys get in grooves, they can put them up in bunches and that's what he's been doing."

Zach Miner tossed a scoreless seventh before Bobby Seay and Freddy Dolsi combined to keep San Diego off the board in the eighth.

Todd Jones plunked Scott Hairston in the ninth, but recovered in time to convert his 13th save in as many chances and give resurgent Detroit its 11th win in 14 games.

"We're a little better," Leyland said. "As I've said all along, when it's all said and done, it will come down to pitching. I think that's the case for every team in baseball and we'll be no different."

The back-and-forth contest began with Granderson doubling to lead off the game and coming around to score on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Guillen that gave Detroit an early 1-0 advantage against San Diego starter Cha Seung Baek (1-2).

Michael Barrett's two-run shot off Detroit starter Nate Robertson (6-6) capped a three-run second as San Diego earned a 3-1 lead in the second.

Magglio Ordonez helped Detroit regain the lead in the third when his fly ball tipped off the glove of center fielder Jody Gerut and went over the wall for a two-run homer.

"I think it was in the ballpark, but I'm not positive," Gerut said. "It was certainly close. It was a bad bounce, that's it. If you give me a thousand tries, I don't think I could do that again. It was just a bad break."

The lead changed hands twice more before Thames put the Tigers in the lead for good.

"When (a pitcher) makes a mistake, I'm just trying not to miss it," Thames said. "It was a good win. We battled and it was a good game all around."

Baek surrendered six runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. The Korean righthander tied a career high with seven strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

Robertson allowed five runs on seven hits over six innings while striking out five and walking two.

Gerut collected three hits for the Padres, who have lost five of six.