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Tigers down Mariners

Sep 18, 2013 - 4:45 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Jose Iglesias scored the go-ahead run on Torii Hunter's sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and the Detroit Tigers tacked on in the eighth to down the Seattle Mariners, 6-2, and inch closer to another AL Central title.

The Tigers survived a bases-loaded jam in the eighth to win for the sixth time in seven games, trimming their magic number for claiming a third straight division crown to six.

Al Alburquerque (3-3) picked up the win behind Anibal Sanchez, who put together another quality outing with 10 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Sanchez did not factor in the decision, however, having allowed two runs on six hits and a pair of walks.

Miguel Cabrera and Don Kelly each hit solo homers in the victory, and Raul Ibanez went deep for Seattle, which has dropped eight of its last nine games, including the first two in this four-game series.

"We need everybody here on our ballclub," Cabrera said. "I think everybody here stepped up tonight and did their jobs. It's what we need to still win our games, what we need if we go to the playoffs."

Yoervis Medina (4-6) took the loss behind Brandon Maurer, who gave up two runs -- both on homers -- and five total hits over five-plus innings of work.

"Our guys have had a lot of fight. We've been giving our opponents everything they can handle. We have a lot of young guys out there fighting. They're learning every day," said Mariners manager Eric Wedge.

After Seattle tied things up in the top of the seventh, the Tigers took the lead back in their half. Alex Avila led off with a triple and Medina plunked Iglesias to put runners on the corners. Avila was tagged out in a rundown between third and home and Hunter hit a fly ball to shallow center for the second out.

Hunter's sinking line drive appeared to be too shallow to bring in Iglesias from third, but Abraham Almonte's off-balanced throw was well off the mark and Iglesias scored without a play at the plate.

Iglesias booted a potential double-play ball in the eighth, and Phil Coke walked the last batter he faced to load the bases with one out. Jose Alvarez escaped with the lead in tact, though, by inducing a 4-6-3 double-play off the bat of Mike Zunino.

A three-run home half, spurred by Omar Infante's RBI single and Austin Jackson's two-run base hit, gave the hosts plenty of breathing room to come out victorious.

Kelly crushed a 93 mph Maurer fastball halfway up the seats in right field to break a scoreless tie in the fourth.

Ibanez put Seattle on the board with a solo blast in the sixth -- the 299th round-tripper of his career -- and Cabrera countered with an opposite-field shot to lead off the bottom half.

Cabrera's first home run since Aug. 26 was quickly answered in the seventh, as Michael Saunders tripled and scored on Kendrys Morales' pinch-hit double off Sanchez, who was relieved by Alburquerque with one out and runners on second and third.

Alburquerque got out of the inning with a 2-2 tie by popping up Almonte and striking out Franklin Gutierrez.

Game Notes

Cabrera has 44 home runs of the year, seven behind MLB leader Chris Davis of Baltimore ... With 28 home runs this season, the 41-year-old Ibanez is one away from matching Ted Williams' MLB record for most homers in a season age 40 or older ... Sanchez, whose AL-leading ERA rose one one-hundredth of a point to 2.51, has not lost since July 19 ... Almonte walked in the ninth inning and has reached base safely in the each of the first 14 games of his career.