Tigers Win in 9th on Rodriguez’s Homer

Ivan Rodriguez gave the Detroit Tigers a second consecutive victory in their final at-bat.

Rodriguez hit a game-winning two-run homer with two out in the ninth inning off struggling reliever Fausto Carmona to give the Tigers a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night.

With Placido Polanco on first, Rodriguez connected on Carmona’s first pitch for his ninth homer.

“I wasn’t trying to hit a home run, I just wanted to make good contact,” said Rodriguez. “He threw me a fastball down the middle and I got all of it.”

Carmona (1-7) has blown all three of his save opportunities since the Indians traded closer Bob Wickman to Atlanta on July 20. He has yielded 11 runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings over his last four outings.

It was the second straight game that Detroit won in its last at-bat. Craig Monroe hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning on Friday night to give the Tigers a 7-6 victory.

Kenny Rogers, who hasn’t won since July 5, appeared headed for another early exit as he gave up three runs in the first inning.

Travis Hafner, who homered in his fourth consecutive game, hit his 33rd -- a two-run shot -- driving Rogers’ 1-2 pitch into the right-center field stands, an estimated 414 feet away.