DETROIT (AP) — Jack Flaherty struck out nine over six scoreless innings as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-0 on Sunday and took two of three games in a matchup of two of the MLB’s top teams.
The AL Central-leading Tigers improved to 43-24, while the NL Central-best Cubs fell to 40-25 in the first matchup this season of 40-win teams. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, June 8 matched the earliest such matchup since 2004. The Yankees and Dodgers played the first such game of last season, also on June 8.
Flaherty (5-6) allowed two hits and three walks. After a rough start, the 29-year-old right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.46 ERA and 29 strikeouts in his last four starts.
Cubs rookie starter Cade Horton (3-1) took his first career loss, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings.
Detroit took a 2-0 lead on Spencer Torkelson’s two-run double in the first and Flaherty retired the first nine batters he faced.
Chicago rallied in the fourth, getting four baserunners but failing to score. Ian Happ and Kyle Tucker led off with walks, and Pete Crow-Armstrong lined a one-out single to right. Right fielder Kerry Carpenter threw Happ out at the plate. Carson Kelly walked to load the bases before Parker Meadows made a jumping catch of Michael Busch’s 107-mph liner to center.
The Tigers doubled the lead in the fifth on a two-run double by Riley Greene.
Key moment
After Dansby Swanson’s lead-off double in the fifth, Nico Hoerner took a 2-2 pitch that Statcast showed to be low and inside. Home plate Derek Thomas called it strike three, then quickly ejected Hoerner after he turned to complain. Cubs manager Craig Counsell was also ejected before the argument ended.
Key stat
The game drew a crowd of 40,343, the third sell out of the weekend after the Tigers had only sold out two games all season. The weekend total of 121,509 is the second-highest series attendance since Comerica Park opened in 2000, trailing the 128,108 for last year’s season-ending series against the White Sox. That series saw Detroit clinch a playoff berth and Chicago set the MLB record for losses in a season.
Up next
The Cubs travel to Philadelphia for a three-game series starting Monday. Starting pitchers have not been announced.
The Tigers are off on Monday before RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-0. 7.36) is scheduled to start on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles.