CHICAGO — The sound was so foreign that it seemed like it must have been piped in at first. Miguel Cabrera getting cheers on the South Side? No way.
This is where Cabrera was roundly booed in 2012 for stopping the game when he noticed the grounds crew had drawn the batter’s box a few inches too far forward, a mistake he realized when he planted his back foot for his first plate appearance. His strikeouts have prompted loud ovations.
Yet when Cabrera stepped to the plate Friday, he was greeted with a warm ovation from a large group of fans along the first-base stands. It was a group of Venezuelans, he explained later.
Once Cabrera stepped to the plate for the first time in the Tigers’ 10-0 win on Saturday, however, the ovation had spread around Guaranteed Rate Field, including many fans in White Sox attire. And Cabrera, in turn, put on a show, producing his first four-hit game since 2021.
Cabrera entered the game tied with George Brett with 3,154 hits, 17th-most in Major League history according to totals kept by Elias Sports Bureau. By evening’s end, Cabrera was within eight hits of Adrián Beltré for 16th all-time.
Cabrera began his effort with one of Detroit’s five consecutive two-out hits against White Sox starter Mike Clevinger. After Spencer Torkelson’s single extended the inning, Cabrera slashed an opposite-field line drive to the right-field corner for an RBI double.
After flying out to center in the second inning, Cabrera produced another two-out RBI hit in the fourth, sending a single through the middle off Clevinger to score Torkelson again.
Both hits were on the first pitch, as was Cabrera’s sixth-inning RBI single, a line drive to right-center off Luis Patiño. By contrast, Cabrera worked a 1-2 count against Patiño before sending a ground ball up the middle again. Shortstop Zach Remillard charged it but couldn’t make the play as Cabrera rumbled into first base. He was then lifted for a pinch-runner.
Cabrera’s 49th career four-hit game — tied with Hank Aaron for 21st-most in MLB history — was his first since Sept. 8, 2021, when he went 4-for-4 against the Pirates at PNC Park.