Miguel Cabrera destroys first homer of final season against one of best pitchers in league

DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers are playing their 65th game of the season, and Miguel Cabrera just crushed his first home run off of possibly the best right-handed pitcher in the league.

Game 2 of the Tigers’ three-game series against the Atlanta Braves was pushed back to Wednesday afternoon due to Tuesday evening’s rain. Apparently, the lineup didn’t mind.

Atlanta trotted out Spencer Strider, one of the best starting pitchers in the world, but Spencer Torkelson greeted him with a home run in the bottom of the first inning.

Nick Maton led off the bottom of the second with a hit-by-pitch, and Cabrera strode to the plate with one out. He jumped on the very first pitch (a 95.7 mph four-seamer) and blasted it 406 feet to left field. It came off the bat at 105.7 mph.

This was the first time Cabrera has homered in the final season of his Hall-of-Fame career. And he finally got to put on the Red Wings helmet in the dugout!

Eric Haase came to the plate next and made it back-to-back homers with a blast to center, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead.

Rookie starter Reese Olson is making his third-career appearance, and the Tigers were hoping he could hang onto this early lead against a potent Braves lineup. Instead, he imploded in spectacular fashion, allowing seven earned runs without getting through four innings.