DETROIT — Quintin Berry slapped a base hit through a drawn in infield, then took off for first base. He raised both hands in the air in celebration, rounded the bag and took off his helmet.
“I’ve never had a walk-off before,” the Detroit outfielder said. “I showed it out there, jumping around, acting crazy. You don’t know what to do with yourself.”
Berry’s tie-breaking RBI single in the 10th inning gave the Tigers a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. It was another bright moment for the 27-year-old rookie, who is hitting .315 this year.
Detroit also got an encouraging performance from another young player. Jacob Turner allowed 1 run and 4 hits in 5 innings in his first start this season. The 21-year-old Turner was recalled from Class AAA Toledo before the game. Left hander Drew Smyly (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks) has been out because of a blister on his left middle finger.
Turner, a first-round draft pick in 2009, posted an 8.53 ERA in 3 starts last year. He was named Detroit’s top prospect by Baseball America earlier this year. Turner kept the Tigers in the game while their offense struggled. He walked 5 - 1 intentionally - and struck out 3.
“He did fine. I will say this: He’s much improved,” Detroit Manager Jim Leyland said. “There’s no question about that. He’s much improved from the last time I saw him, particularly at the big league level.”
Ramon Santiago and Jhonny Peralta started the winning rally withone-out singles off Victor Marte (0-1), who then grazed Austin Jackson’s jersey with a pitch. Berry followed with a grounder up the middle to end it, and the Tigers ran onto the field to mob him.
Joaquin Benoit (1-1) got the victory. Kyle Lohse allowed 1 run and 4 hits in 7 innings for the Cardinals.
Prince Fielder put Detroit in front with a 425-foot home run in the fourth. The slugging first baseman flipped his bat forward after making contact, and there was no doubt about his 11th home run this year.
With one out and men on second and third in the fifth, Matt Holliday lifted a foul fly that Detroit right fielder Don Kelly caught while almost falling into the seats. The tying run came home on the play, but after an intentional walk to Carlos Beltran, Turner got out of the inning on a fly out by Allen Craig.
After Turner departed, Octavio Dotel, Phil Coke, Brayan Villarreal and Benoit pitched the next five innings, holding the Cardinals to two hits and striking out six.
Detroit intentionally walked Beltran with first base open again in the 10th, and again the move worked. Craig popped out with men on first and second to end the threat.
ATHLETICS 4, DODGERS 1
Yoenis Cespedes hit a three-run home run in the ninth inning for his first career game-ending shot, and host Oakland beat Los Angeles for a three-game sweep. Cespedes connected with no outs off Josh Lindblom (2-1), sending a drive just inside the left-field foul pole for his seventh home run. Oakland won for the eighth time in nine games.
PIRATES 9, TWINS 1
James McDonald pitched his first career complete game, Garrett Jones hit a home run and host Pittsburgh beat Minnesota.
NATIONALS 5, RAYS 2
Joel Peralta pitched a tie-breaking, two-run double to Danny Espinosa in the sixth inning as host Washington beat Tampa Bay.
RED SOX 6, MARLINS 5
Daniel Nava singled in the go-ahead run to cap a three-run eighth inning and host Boston beat Miami.
National League
ROCKIES 4, PHILLIES 1
Chris Nelson hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the seventh inning and Wilin Rosario added a two-run shot in the ninth to help Colorado beat host Philadelphia.
Thursday’s results INTERLEAGUE
Detroit 2, St. Louis 1, 10 innings Oakland 4, LA Dodgers 1 Pittsburgh 9, Minnesota 1 Washington 5, Tampa Bay 2 Boston 6, Miami 5
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Colorado 4, Philadelphia 1
Sports, Pages 20 on 06/22/2012