DETROIT _ The Tigers won consecutive games for the first time since early July on Wednesday afternoon, repaying the Cincinnati Reds with a two-game sweep at Comerica Park.
It was the Reds who threw a wrench into the Tigers' feel-good story in the middle of June, taking a two-game set when the Tigers were just one game away from reaching the .500 mark. It would be the start of an 11-game losing streak.
This time, though, a new streak has started: With a 7-4 win, the Tigers have won two straight games.
Powered by the bottom half of the lineup, the Tigers jumped out to a 6-0 lead before Alex Wilson gave most of those runs back, allowing five singles to start the top of the seventh inning. Jim Adduci hit a home run. Jose Iglesias drove in three runs. The Tigers outplayed the sloppy Reds for a second consecutive day and Shane Greene picked up his 23rd save.
The bottom third of the Tigers' order produced five of the team's six runs. Adduci hit a solo home run _ his second of the season, a career-high _ Ronny Rodriguez pinch-hit for Adduci and had an RBI double and Iglesias drove in three runs. His two-run double just inside the third base line opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. The seventh spot was particularly good: Rodriguez and Adduci combined to go 4-for-4 hitting there. Victor Reyes went 1-for-4.
The veteran right-hander took a comebacker off the left shin on a line drive from Mason Williams. He finished the inning, helped by a double play, but then exited for Drew VerHagen. Fiers left with a lower left shin contusion, according to the Tigers. An X-ray revealed no break.
After Fiers went down, Drew VerHagen and Daniel Stumpf combined to throw four innings of scoreless relief. Fiers' exit forced manager Ron Gardenhire to stretch his bullpen, but VerHagen's strong outing went a long way. He allowed three hits, striking out two batters. Other than Wilson _ who was credited with four runs _ the Tigers' bullpen threw seven scoreless innings, another impressive outing.
