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Tigers stay hot, climb over .500 for first time

Jun 29, 2008 - 9:43 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Dane Sardinha's long-awaited first major league hit helped keep the Detroit Tigers rolling.

Sardinha hit a go-ahead two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Colorado Rockies, 4-3, to complete a three-game sweep on Sunday.

Miguel Cabrera and Marcus Thames each had RBI singles for the Tigers (41-40), who have won 17 of their last 21 games to climb over the .500 mark for the first time this season.

"I just think that - it sounds like a simple answer but I think it is a simple answer - we're better off than we were three weeks ago," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "If we continue to play excellent baseball, we'll be in position to hang in there."

With the Tigers trailing, 3-2, in the bottom of the sixth, Edgar Renteria's infield single put runners on first and third with two outs. Sardinha then lined a 1-0 pitch from Colorado rookie starter Greg Reynolds into center field, scoring both runners and giving Detroit the lead.

"It was a pretty good feeling," Sardinha said. "I think that my main objective up here right now is to keep the team in ballgames. Pretty much I think I need to handle the pitching staff as well as I can, keep the running game to a minimum, just keep us in ballgames because this team has got a load of offense."

The 29-year-old catcher, who first appeared in the majors in 2003, had last played in 2005 before appearing for the Tigers on Thursday. He was hitless in 11 career at-bats before his triple.

"He acted like a pro," Leyland said. "He acted like he had 3,000 of them. Obviously, he's not here for his offense. What he does is a bonus and today it was a huge bonus. I couldn't be happier for him."

Freddy Dolsi pitched two perfect innings of relief and Todd Jones, who had blown his first save of the season on Saturday, worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 15th save.

"I've got all the confidence in the world," Jones said. "Closers' jobs are so much easier when your skipper's behind you. And I knew wanting a one-run lead to get me back out there and see if I could do it, just give me another chance."

The Rockies trailed, 2-0, in the top of the second but took the lead when Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run homer following Yorvit Torrealba's RBI single.

Detroit starter Kenny Rogers (6-5) allowed three runs and eight hits over six innings to pick up the win. He walked two and struck out two.

Reynolds (2-6) gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings for Colorado, which has lost seven straight contests.

"I thought our approach was good today," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We don't have enough execution. We can't get the right pitch at the right time, can't get the well-placed hit and the defense has been suspect."