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Tigers cap sweep of Rox, go above .500 for first time in '08

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06/29/2008 - Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dane Sardinha drilled a two-run triple for his first major league hit and the game-winner, helping the Detroit Tigers to a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 4-3 decision in the finale of an interleague set at Comerica Park.

With the win the Tigers, who started the season with seven straight losses, poked above .500, at 41-40, for the first time in 2008.

"We're better off than we were three weeks ago, put it that way," Tigers skipper Jim Leyland said of his club's recent surge. "If we continue to play excellent baseball, we'll be in position to hang in there. Obviously if we play great the rest of the way and the White Sox and Twins play great the rest of the way, they'll beat us. That's just the way it is. They earned it. They're ahead of us."

Marcus Thames finished the day 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Edgar Renteria, Curtis Granderson and Clete Thomas had two hits and a run scored each for Detroit.

Kenny Rogers (6-5) worked six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks for the win, Detroit's fifth straight.

Troy Tulowitzki had a two-run homer and Yorvit Torrealba notched an RBI single and scored a run with a 2-for-4 day for the reeling Rockies.

Greg Reynolds (2-6) finished after 5 2/3 innings, charged with four runs on 10 hits in taking the loss. The first-year righthander had three strikeouts and no walks for Colorado, which dropped its seventh straight game.

"We don't have enough execution," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We can't get the right pitch at the right time, can't get the well placed hit and the defense has been suspect. We're just missing the knockout punch."

Detroit took the lead with two runs in the sixth. Miguel Cabrera singled to start the frame before Reynolds recorded two quick outs, but a Renteria infield single up the middle brought on Matt Herges from the bullpen. Herges served up a second-pitch fastball to Sardinha, who stroked the ball to the gap in left-center for a two-run triple.

"It was a pretty good feeling," Sardinha said of his clutch hit. "Especially my previous at-bat I had a chance to tie the game, first and third, a sacrifice would have worked but I grounded into a double play to end the inning. I was kind of frustrated. I think that's my main objective up here right now is to keep the team in ballgames. Pretty much I think I need to handle the pitching staff as well as I can and keep the running game to a minimum. Just keep us in ballgames because this team has got a load of offense."

Freddy Dolsi and Todd Jones combined to slam the door on the Rockies with three perfect frames, and Jones picked up his 15th save of the season.

Detroit struck for two runs in the opening frame. Granderson and Thomas opened with back-to-back singles and Cabrera singled to left two batters later, scoring one. Thames then lined an RBI single to left scoring Thomas.

Colorado answered with three runs in the second. Jeff Baker doubled to left- center leading off and scored on a Torrealba single to right two batters later. Tulowitzki followed with a two-run homer, just over the wall in left to give the Rox a one-run lead.

Game Notes

The Tigers placed slugger Magglio Ordonez on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a pulled oblique muscle and recalled outfielder Matt Joyce from Triple-A Toledo...Detroit finished 13-5 this season in interleague play while Colorado was 7-8...Detroit heads to Minnesota for a three-game series starting Monday...Colorado returns home to start a three-game series with the Padres on Monday...Taveras was caught stealing for only the fourth time this season but continues to lead the majors with 36 steals.