DETROIT — For the second time in less than 24 hours, a Brewers starter shut down the Tigers’ offense for the first three-plus innings. For the second time, a Tigers starter matched him. This time, Detroit’s lineup broke through early enough to make starter Matt Manning a winner.
The resulting 4-1 win over Milwaukee earned the Tigers a two-game series sweep and a 4-1 homestand against two teams headed to the postseason. Detroit not only competed with Tampa Bay and Milwaukee, it further established its brand of baseball.
In both games against the Brewers, the Tigers used strong pitching to match zeroes with one of the most formidable pitching staffs in the National League. Wednesday’s duel was driven by Manning, whose six innings of two-hit, one-run ball showcased some of the better pure pitching of his rookie season.