Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Alex Faedo delivers to Cleveland Guardians’ Myles Straw in the first inning of Sunday’s baseball game in Cleveland. The rookie hurler (1-1) allowed just 2 runs in 5 1/3 innings, striking out 2, for his first major league win. (David Dermer/AP photo)
CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Alex Faedo allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings for his first major league win and Miguel Cabrera had an RBI double as the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-2 on Sunday.
Faedo (1-1) struck out two in his fourth appearance since being called up from Triple-A Toledo on May 4. The right-hander missed all of 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and began this season at Class A Lakeland.
“You’re only going to get your first win once, so you’ve got to celebrate it,” said Faedo, whose teammates gave him a laundry cart ride into the shower. “It was a good time. I got hit with a lot of baby powder, ketchup via (Tarik) Skubal, all sorts of liquids.”
Cabrera’s double in the first inning scored Robbie Grossman and was the 603rd of his career, tying Cal Ripken Jr. for 16th all-time. It also was hit No. 3,022, one short of Lou Brock in the 28th spot.
Detroit took a 3-2 lead in the fifth when Tucker Barnhart scored on an error by first baseman Josh Naylor. Grossman hit a sharp grounder that went under Naylor’s glove, allowing Barnhart to come around from second.
“When we got the lead, I felt like I had to hold it,” Faedo said. “It’s a prestigious thing to be up here in the majors. I understand that.”
Javier Baez added a solo homer in the eighth for the Tigers, who snapped a three-game skid and are 5-4 since falling a season-low 14 games below .500 on May 12. Gregory Soto pitched the ninth for his seventh save.
“With Miggy and me, you’ve got to show the experience you’ve got to help the team,” Baez said. “The support of my teammates has been pretty important.”
Guardians righty Shane Bieber (1-3) struck out a season-high 10 in seven innings, giving up six hits and three runs, two of them earned. The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner has not won since April 20 against the White Sox, six starts ago.
Naylor homered in the fourth and Owen Miller had an RBI single in the first. Cleveland did not record a hit in the final 3 2/3 innings against four Detroit relievers, losing for the sixth time in its last eight games.
“I was able to find my rhythm early, but I felt like there is a lot more there,” Bieber said. “It’s frustrating because the team lost, but you’ve got to take the good and the bad and go forward.”
Daz Cameron had an RBI single and made the play of the day for the Tigers, robbing Amed Rosario of a potential two-run homer in the fifth. Cameron snow-coned the ball at the yellow line atop the wall in center, then turned it into a double play at first base.
“He smacked it pretty well and after I read the ball, I realized I had a pretty good chance,” Cameron said. “I just went up and got it.”
The first pitch was delayed by 20 minutes due to light rain. The teams’ scheduled game Saturday was postponed because of thunderstorms and will be made up on July 14.
MANAGER MANIA: Guardians manager Terry Francona and Tigers counterpart A.J. Hinch were back in their respective dugouts after missing the series opener Friday for medical reasons. Francona underwent a minor procedure, while Hinch fell ill and remained at the team hotel.
“I still don’t feel good, so personally, the rainout yesterday was the best thing ever,” Hinch said. “I was in bed by 6 p.m. and slept well.”
Cleveland coaches Sandy Alomar Jr., Mike Sarbaugh and Joe Torres also rejoined the team after clearing MLB’s health and safety protocols for COVID-19.
TRAINER’S ROOM: Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (lower left leg bruise), who was struck by a liner off the bat of Ernie Clement in the fifth inning Friday, will be given an extra day before making his next start. “The injury isn’t a major concern, but he is sore,” Hinch said.
UP NEXT: RHP Elvin Rodriguez (0-0, 13.50 ERA) is scheduled to make his first major league start Monday for Detroit at Minnesota. He worked 2 2/3 innings in his April 10 debut against the White Sox.