Marlins 3, Tigers 2
MIAMI -- Giancarlo Stanton's three-run double in the third inning held up as the Miami Marlins defeated the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Friday night at Marlins Park.
Stanton's hit overshadowed the return of Miguel Cabrera, who came back to Miami for the first time since he was traded by the Marlins after the 2007 season.
Friday's game also marked the return of Tigers left fielder Jhonny Peralta from a 50-game suspension for his involvement with the Miami-based Biogenesis lab for performance-enhancing drugs.
Peralta, who had been the Tigers' starting shortstop, batted fifth and made his big-league debut as a left fielder. Prior to Friday, he had never had an outfield putout in 15 years of pro ball. That changed in the sixth inning when he caught a fly ball by Stanton.
"This is an emotional day for me," Peralta said before the game. "This is where I want to be. I want to be back with the team, helping in any way I can."
Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Peralta has always been good at catching popups.
"He'll just be catching longer popups now," he said.
The Marlins' Placido Polanco made a sensational catch in the eighth inning, diving into the first row of the third-base stands to catch a foul pop by Don Kelly.
And in the ninth, Steve Cishek pitched a scoreless inning for his 34th save.
Tom Koehler (5-10) picked up the win. Jose Alvarez (1-5) got the loss.
Marlins backup catcher Koyie Hill led off the third with a single, but the inning seemed to stall after two quick outs. That's when Polanco and Christian Yelich walked, and Stanton cleaned up with a three-run double to left.
The Tigers scored a run in the fifth when Alex Avila led off with a walk, advanced to second on Hernan Perez's single and scored on a single by Austin Jackson.
Detroit made it 3-2 in the sixth when Peralta hit a run-scoring double.
NOTES: Before the game, the Marlins fired president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest and his special assistant Jim Fleming, who had been with the team 12 and 11 years, respectively. ... Tigers RHP Rick Porcello (13-8, 4.38), who had been set to start Friday's game, was shifted to the bullpen, which is where he will be used in the postseason. He had a 1.66 ERA in his past three starts. ... Cabrera will be given a day off in Sunday's regular-season finale. 2B Omar Infante and RF Torii Hunter were rested Friday. ... Tigers LHP Phil Coke (elbow inflammation) will not pitch this weekend. ... Tigers RHP Bruce Rondon (elbow soreness) was to be evaluated Friday night as to his status for the rest of the weekend. ... Marlins C Jeff Mathis is out for the rest of the season with a thumb injury. ... Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs, 35, has reached an agreement to re-sign with the Marlins, according to The Miami Herald. ... Polanco, a three-time Gold Glove winner, entered Friday with just two errors and a .990 fielding percentage, which led the majors among qualifying third basemen.
