Tigers beat Cardinals 6-3, avoid sweep

By AP

ST. LOUIS – ST. LOUIS (AP) - The Tigers return home to open a three-game weekend series against the Milwaukee Brewers starting tonight.

Rookie Rick Porcello won for the seventh time in nine starts and Detroit shook off an offensive drought with a four-run first inning, beating St. Louis 6-3 last night.

Placido Polanco and Marcus Thames homered in the eighth for the Tigers, who had scored three runs or less in their previous seven games. Detroit ended a four-game losing streak and held on to first place in the AL Central, two games ahead of Minnesota.

Porcello (8-4) allowed three runs in 5 2-3 innings. He's 7-1 with a 2.64 ERA in his past nine starts.