DETROIT _ The Detroit Tigers are a non-factor in the American League Central Division but they turned into a factor in the National League wild-card race when they continued their interleague mastery over the Cardinals Friday night.
Beating them for the 13th time in 16 interleague matchups at Comerica Park, the Tigers twice overcame Cardinals leads. Then, in the ninth, Jeimer Candelario took a 102-mph Jordan Hicks sinker to the opposite field in left for a 5-3 Detroit victory. Candelario's 18th homer, which came with one out, also scored Victor Reyes, who had singled with one out.
For the second time in the last three games, Marcell Ozuna clubbed two homers for the Cardinals, giving him 20 for the season. Ozuna opened both the second and fourth innings with home runs off Detroit left-hander Daniel Norris.
Starter Austin Gomber, still unbeaten, worked six innings for the Cardinals, allowing three runs. Dominic Leone escaped the seventh, helped by two sensational diving plays by second baseman Kolten Wong. Hicks worked a spotless eighth.
