DETROIT — It was the perfect Detroit welcome for new starter Anibal Sanchez.
Sanchez, acquired from the Miami Marlins on July 23, gave up back-to-back singles to the Cleveland Indians' Jason Kipnis and Asdrubal Cabrera to start the game, then was the lucky recipient of a double play as Cabrera ran out of the baseline.
"The first two hitters, I just leave the ball up, throw strikes, and they swing," Sanchez said. "I know they swing first pitch a lot, and I need to keep the ball down, and the double play take me out of the first inning. The rest, I try to keep the ball down in the strike zone."
Sanchez, who gave up five runs on eight in a 5-1 loss in his first Tigers start, allowed just two runs (one earned) on eight hits while walking two and striking out five in six-plus innings in a 10-2 victory Friday night.
"I think we probably, as it turned out, won that game in the first inning," manager Jim Leyland said. "We caught a big break, (Cabrera) went out of the baseline and we got the double play, awarded the double play and we got out of it, that was pretty good."
After walking former Tiger Jack Hannahan and giving up a hit to Ezequiel Carrera in the top of the seventh, Leyland came out to get Sanchez.
As Sanchez walked off the field, the sellout crowd of 41,502 gave him a standing ovation, which he acknowledged with a tip of his cap.
"That was really amazing, really amazing," Sanchez said. "I don’t have any comparison for that. When I throw my (no-hit) game in 2006, it’s not even like that. It’s a lot of people, a lot of fans, and a standing ovation is incredible. I feel like it’s something really new for me."
Catcher Alex Avila was part of the tremendous offensive support for Sanchez. He had two RBI, Prince Fielder had four, and Quintin Berry, Miguel Cabrera, Andy Dirks and Omar Infante each had one.
"Getting out to an early lead was big, allowed him to settle down a little bit, which I think he would have pitched a great game regardless," Avila said. "Him coming in in the middle of a pennant race, packed house, that was nice when he came off, the fans gave him a standing ovation so he was pretty excited."
Sanchez was so moved that he called his wife after the game to tell her about it.
The gesture was definitely appreciated by Sanchez, who had spent his entire career with the Marlins since his debut in 2006 and now has to adjust to a new team.
"Definitely feel like home," Sanchez said. "The best people, it feels amazing. The players told me about the fans here — it’s incredible, incredible situation. I don’t have exactly words to express that, but the thing is amazing."
Leyland cautioned before the game that fans shouldn't expect Sanchez to go 8-1 with a 1.79 ERA like Doug Fister did after the Tigers acquired him last season. But he does have something in common with Fister.
"One thing he does well is command all of his pitches in the strike zone," Avila said. "He's got a ton of strikeouts and doesn't walk very many guys. Normally, guys that strike guys out will have kind of a little bit higher walk percentage.
"He's pretty good as far as throwing strikes with all of his pitches. He's a competitor out there and I've only caught him a couple of times, but he's fun to catch."
It's all new to Sanchez, but he's hopeful that, like Fister, he can help the Tigers reach the playoffs like they did last season.
"Everybody play hard, everybody on the same page," Sanchez said. "I’m on the same page with everybody. Infante and me are here to help keep the team working for the playoffs, and I’m sure we’re going to make it."
