Detroit |A| Tigers lose 3-1 to |B| Cubs, Javier Báez strikes |C| out four times in |D| Wrigley Field return

CHICAGO |E| — Dansby Swanson, an |F| All-Star shortstop, hasnt provided |G| a substantial spark for |H| the Chicago Cubs in |J| the second season of |K| his seven-year contract, but |L| in Tuesdays game, he |M| helped the Cubs separate |O| from the Detroit Tigers |P| with a big swing |Q| in the sixth inning.

|R| dir="ltr">A solo home run |S| to left-center field provided |U| an important insurance run |V| for the Cubs. The |Y| Tigers lost, 3-1, to |Z| the Cubs on Tuesday |A| in the opener of |B| a three-game series at |C| Wrigley Field.

Shortstop Javier |D| Báez, who played for |E| the Cubs from 2014-21, |F| finished 0-for-4 with four |G| strikeouts in his first |H| game at Wrigley Field |J| since the Cubs traded |K| him to the New |L| York Mets at the |M| 2021 trade deadline.

As |O| Báez struggled, the Cubs |P| scored all three runs |Q| in the fifth and |R| sixth innings against left-hander |S| Bryan Sammons, who covered |U| 4⅓ innings out of |V| the bullpen.

The Tigers |Y| (61-65) controlled a one-run |Z| lead until two outs |A| in the fifth inning, |B| when Cody Bellinger turned |C| on an up-and-in fastball |D| for a two-run double |E| to right field.

Bellinger |F| was thrown out trying |G| to turn a double |H| into a triple, but |J| two runners (reaching safely |K| on a walk and |L| a single) scored on |M| Bellingers line drive to |O| put the Cubs in |P| front, 2-1.

The Cubs |Q| tacked on for a |R| 3-1 advantage with Swansons |S| solo home run off |U| Sammons middle-middle 90.8 mph |V| fastball with two outs |Y| in the sixth inning. |Z| He hit the ball |A| 387 feet to left-center |B| field with a 107.1 |C| mph exit velocity.

It |D| was Swansons 10th home |E| run of the 2024 |F| season.

He is coming |G| off three seasons in |H| a row with 20-plus |J| home runs.

Sammons allowed |K| three runs on four |L| hits and three walks |M| with two strikeouts across |O| 4⅓ innings, throwing 72 |P| pitches. Right-handed reliever Alex |Q| Faedo covered the first |R| five outs of the |S| game for the Tigers, |U| working as an opener.

|V| dir="ltr">Spencer Torkelson, who finished |Y| 4-for-4 with three singles |Z| and one double, delivered |A| his two-bagger in the |B| top of the ninth |C| inning, but the Tigers |D| stranded him with three |E| out in a row.

|F| dir="ltr">Báez struck out for |G| the fourth time to |H| end the game.

[ |J| MUST LISTEN: Make "Days |K| of Roar" your go-to |L| Detroit Tigers podcast, available |M| anywhere you listen to |O| podcasts (Apple,Spotify) ]

The only |P| run

The Tigers scored |Q| their lone run in |R| the second inning.

It |S| happened on three singles |U| in a row from |V| Torkelson, Jace Jung and |Y| Dillon Dingler.

The single |Z| from Dingler put the |A| Tigers ahead, 1-0.

Assad |B| allowed one run on |C| six hits and one |D| walk with seven strikeouts |E| in 5⅔ innings, throwing |F| 95 pitches. After Dinglers |G| leadoff triple in the |H| fifth inning, Assad stranded |J| him by striking out |K| three batters in a |L| row: Báez, Parker Meadows |M| and Riley Greene.

In |O| the sixth inning, Jung |P| stranded runners on the |Q| corners when he struck |R| out swinging against right-handed |S| reliever Tyson Miller, who |U| replaced Assad.

The Tigers |V| finished 1-for-13 with runners |Y| in scoring position.

Contact |Z| Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com |A| or follow him @EvanPetzold.

|B| dir="ltr">Listen to our weekly |C| Tigers show "Days of |D| Roar" every Monday afternoon |E| on demand at freep.com, |F| Apple, Spotify or wherever |G| you listen to podcasts. |H| And catch all of |J| our podcasts and daily |K| voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.

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