Sep 30, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) hits a home run against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Turner Field. Photo Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
ATLANTA — Detroit first baseman Miguel Cabrera hit a pair of home runs Friday and left-hander Daniel Norris threw 6 2/3 strong innings to keep the Tigers’ playoff hopes alive with a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the third, his 37th and 38th of the season, in recording the 39th multi-homer game of his career, sixth of the season. Cabrera was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs.
Norris (4-2) recorded his longest stint of the season. He scattered four hits, walked two and struck out eight. Norris threw a season-high 114 pitches and lost his shutout when Atlanta’s Brandon Snyder hit a pinch-hit homer, his fourth, in the seventh that finished his night.
The Braves got a solo homer from Matt Kemp, his 35th, in the eighth off reliever Bruce Rondon.
Detroit’s Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out the side, in a non-save situation.
The Tigers also got home runs from Ian Kinsler, his 28th, and Justin Upton, his 30th. Upton, who played for the Braves in 2013-14, was 3-for-3 to pace the 11-hit attack.
The losing pitcher was Matt Wisler (7-13). The right-hander lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on nine hits — three of them home runs. He struck out three and walked one.
Atlanta reliever Tyrell Jenkins pitched two-thirds of an inning and suffered an undisclosed injury after throwing one pitch to Cabrera. The trainer came to the mound and, after a brief discussion, took Jenkins to the clubhouse.
The Tigers came out swinging in the top of the first and scored three quick runs against Wisler. Ian Kinsler hit a leadoff homer, his 28th, and Miguel Cabrera followed with a two-run shot, his 37th, after a Cameron Maybin single.
Cabrera struck again in the third inning when he led off the inning with a solo homer, his 38th.
The Tigers took a 5-0 lead by tacking on a run in the fifth. James McCann lined an RBI single to score Cabrera, which chased Wisler from the game.
Norris nearly suffered an odd injury in the fifth inning. Adonis Garcia hit a line drive up the middle and Norris swiped at the ball as he followed through. The ball hit him near the back of his right wrist in the area covered by his glove. The ball bounced high to second baseman Kinsler, who had no play. Norris stayed in the game after being cleared by the trainer.
NOTES: The Tigers announced they will make up their postponed game with the Indians on Monday at 1:10 p.m., but only if it has direct playoff implications. Detroit will start RHP Michael Fulmer (11-7, 3.06) if the game is needed. Detroit’s game against Cleveland on Sept. 29 was rained out after a storm dumped six inches of water on the field. … Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman had his 30-game hitting streak snapped on Thursday. He became only the ninth player in history to have a 30-game hitting streak and hit at least 30 home runs in a season. … Pitching matchups for Saturday’s game: Detroit RHP Jordan Zimmermann (9-6, 4.88) vs. Atlanta RHP Aaron Blair (1-7, 8.02).
