Miguel Cabrera didn’t reach the 3,000-hit mark on Thursday, which means another raucous crowd will flock to Detroit’s Comerica Park on Friday as he continues to chase history in the opener of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.
The Detroit Tigers’ designated hitter needs one more hit to achieve the feat. He went 0-for-3 against the New York Yankees and was intentionally walked in his last at-bat.
The Tigers came away with a 3-0 victory to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
“I was a little excited today, swinging at every pitch they want to throw me, because I wanted to get it out of the way — 3,000,” he said. “It’s not the way to hit. You’ve got to be patient and get your pitch to hit. Hopefully, I can get it tomorrow with an RBI.”
The crowd was furious when Yankees manager Aaron Boone walked Cabrera with runners in scoring position so that his left-handed reliever Lucas Luetge could pitch to lefty Austin Meadows. That strategy failed when Meadows blooped a two-run double.
“Boonie’s obligation is to his own team and their chances of winning,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He has the matchup behind Miggy that he wanted, so you could see it coming. Our fans responded accordingly but I totally get it. I’m glad that Austin came up and got a base hit and we ended up extending our lead and won the game, which is what Miggy was happiest with.”
When Cabrera gets his next hit, he’ll become the 33rd member of the 3,000 hit club and the seventh player in MLB history to have both 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.
The Rockies did not play on Thursday. Despite losing to Philadelphia 9-6 on Wednesday, they’re off to an 8-4 start behind first baseman C.J. Cron. The former Tiger already has six homers, 16 RBIs and six multi-hit games.
“He’s got raw power,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “That’s part of who he is. I think he’s become extremely comfortable in his own skin about who he is — an everyday, legitimate, major league power hitter.”
Cron played 13 games for Detroit during the 2020 COVID-shortened season. He hit four home runs before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Cron signed with the Rockies prior to last season and delivered 28 homers and 92 RBIs in 142 games. He’s hit five homers in 26 games at Detroit’s home park.
“I feel comfortable in the box,” he said. “As an offense, we know we’re good enough to score some runs. So the pitchers keeping us in ballgames to allow us to do that has been huge so far.”
Antonio Senzatela (1-0, 2.16 ERA) will start the opener of the three-game series. He held the Chicago Cubs to one run in five innings on Saturday and collected the victory.
The 27-year-old right-hander lost his lone career start against the Tigers. He’s faced Cabrera twice and walked him both times.
He’ll be opposed by left-hander Tarik Skubal (0-1, 3.72 ERA). Skubal lasted 5 2/3 innings and didn’t allow an earned run in his second start this season on Friday. The Tigers defeated Kansas City that night but Skubal didn’t figure in the decision.
Skubal has not previously faced the Rockies.
