Tigers’ Easley Hits for the Cycle in Win

Damion Easley saved the hardest part of hitting for the cycle for last.

After hitting a run-scoring double in the third inning, a three-run home run in Detroit’s six-run fifth and a single in the sixth, Easley lined a triple down the right-field line in the eighth inning as the Tigers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, 9-4, Friday night.

Easley, who came into the game batting .266 with two triples in 199 at-bats, became the ninth Detroit player to hit for the cycle. The last Tiger was Travis Fryman on July 28, 1993. That was also the last year the team had a winning record.

“I was close one other time was in 1997 in Cleveland,” Easley said. “All I needed was a single and they walked me in my last at-bat. “I was very fortunate to put that ball in play, and put it in play in the right spot. I knew I needed a triple in my last at-bat, very honestly. But this is a park for triples. If you get it past an outfielder, you get a triple.”

Comerica Park is not a place for home runs, as the Brewers found out with two 400-foot flyouts to left-center field--both with the bases loaded--in the fifth inning.

“I guess that’s why they built this ballpark they way they did,” Milwaukee Manager Davey Lopes said. “Somebody had a lot of foresight.”

Detroit, which had lost 12 of 14 coming in, sent Milwaukee to its eighth loss in 12 games. The Brewers dropped to .500 (29-29) for the first time since April 27, when they were 11-11.