DETROIT (AP) — Kenta Maeda got his first win for Detroit, allowing four hits over six innings in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday as the Tigers took two of three games in the series.
Matt Vierling had three RBIs for the Tigers, who are 31-16 against St. Louis in interleague play. The teams also met in three World Series, with the Cardinals winning in 1934 and 2006, and Detroit taking the title in 1968.
“That’s the team I grew up rooting for, so having a day like this is huge,” said Vierling, a St. Louis native.
Maeda (1-1) allowed a fourth-inning home run to Willson Contreras that landed in shrubbery above the center-field fence. He struck out five and walked none.
“Both pitchers filled up the strike zone, but we were able to jump on top, which is always big in a series-deciding game,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “Kenta had pretty good stuff.”