Home run.
Home run.
Single.
Double.
Is there a higher league that might challenge Miguel Cabrera?
He came to the plate four times Friday night in Tampa and crushed the ball in every plate appearance. The first two disappeared deep into the leftfield stands, the third was a hard-hit single to left and the fourth ended up as a double off the centerfield fence. Cabrera scored three runs -- two on his own homers and one on Prince Fielder's moon-shot off a catwalk high above Tropicana Field -- and drove in three.
"I was trying to hit mistakes," Cabrera told FOX Sports Detroit's Trevor Thompson. "They left a couple pitches over the middle and I was able to hit them."
Cabrera was more excited about Fielder's homer than anything he had done himself.
"It's fun to see the big guy hit one like that," he said. "If that didn't hit that thing up there, it was going to land in Miami."
Cabrera's having a better offensive season that he did while winning the Triple Crown a year ago, and only Chris Davis is keeping him from being the favorite for a second in a row. He's hitting .377, and he's on pace for 50 homers and 168 RBIs - numbers that no Tigers hitter has approached since Hank Greenberg in the 1930s.
"That's just normal now," Fielder said. "It's normal for him. He's just outstanding."
How good has Cabrera been? Friday, he not only stole the spotlight from Fielder's monster shot, he overshadowed Max Scherzer becoming the first pitcher in 28 years to start a season 12-0. Roger Clemens went 24-4 when he started 12-0 in 1986, while Ron Guidry went 25-3 in 1978. Scherzer pitched seven innings against the Rays, allowing three runs and striking out nine. That's not spectacular for him, but it was enough to end Detroit's three-game losing streak.
"I feel great for Max, because that's a great individual achievement, but the important thing is we got a win," Jim Leyland said. "Max was great and the big guys did what they do. We've gotten a lot of wins that way."
As usual, Scherzer wasn't going to brag about his perfect start.
"All that matters is that we won today," he said. "You can't get caught up in your personal win-loss record, because it is so fluky. Yesterday, Doug (Fister) goes seven innings, allows one run and doesn't get a decision. Today, I go seven, allow three runs and get a win.
"We were ahead 4-0 in the fourth inning, so I was able to pump up my fastball without having to worry about one pitch. (Ben) Zobrist hit a homer off me, and I didn't even really care. You don't want to lose your edge, but you don't have to nibble, either."
Scherzer gave up another homer to red-hot rookie Wil Myers, but Cabrera and Fielder had done more than enough to get him his 12th win and end Detroit's slump. Now the Tigers just need Justin Verlander to end his own struggles on Saturday night.
