A’s take 4 of 5 from Tigers

DETROIT — Seth Brown hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 on Thursday.

Michael Fulmer (1-2) got the first two outs of the eighth, but Jed Lowrie drew a walk and Brown homered to right on a 92mph fastball. The Tigers have lost nine of 10.

“I felt my top hand was leaking out on my first couple at-bats,” said Brown, who had gone 0 for 3 with a strikeout before the homer. “I just wanted to keep everything tight and try to put a good swing on something.”

Oakland came to Comerica Park this week with a nine-game losing streak, but won four times in an unusual five-game series. The Athletics’ only loss came when they were the official home team in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader — a game they were originally supposed to host before the season’s first series was postponed by the lockout.

“Coming here on Sunday night, I think we were all pretty frustrated with how we were playing,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “The guys made some adjustments and it obviously paid off. It feels good to be back on track.”

A.J. Puk (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for his first win since topping Kansas City on Sept. 17, 2019. He missed the 2020 season with shoulder issues and was limited to 13 1/3 innings in 2021.

“A.J. has been phenomenal — he’s pitching as well as he has since he was drafted,” Kotsay said. “We talked throughout spring training about my expectations and the progress he needed to show to stay here, and he’s done everything I’ve asked.”

Dany Jimenez pitched the ninth for his sixth save in six opportunities.

Miguel Cabera made it 3-all in the Detroit sixth with his 601st career double, tying Barry Bonds for 17th all-time. Jeimer Candelario opened the inning with a triple off Domingo Acevedo and scored on Cabrera’s 3,014th career hit.