A's drop third in a row on the road with 7-3 loss to Tigers

DETROIT - The Oakland Athletics were the first team to break through to score against Jordan Zimmermann and strung together 10 hits against the Detroit Tigers. It wasn’t enough.

Miguel Cabrera hit two home runs, Zimmermann’s scoreless innings streak ended and Detroit snapped a skid with a 7-3 win against the A’s on Monday night.

“We did a good job against Zimmermann, but we hit a lot of balls hard right at someone,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “(Mike) Aviles made a couple huge plays that stopped us from getting another run and more runners on base.”

Aviles filled in at second base for Ian Kinsler, who was a late scratch due to flu-like symptoms.

Kendall Graveman (1-2) allowed 10 hits, including three homers, and six runs.

“Kendall had good stuff for a while, but when it went, it went fast,” Melvin said. “He made a couple mistakes and it let them put a pretty big lead on us.”

Cabrera hit a solo homer in the second and three-run shot in the four-run fifth inning, which was followed by Victor Martinez’s blast over the right-center wall.

“I threw (Cabrera) two sinkers that were supposed to be away,” Graveman said. “I got the sink I wanted, but they both backed up and got too much of the plate. Everybody’s seen that guy’s trophy case - you can’t make mistakes like that to him.”

The two-time MVP and one-time Triple Crown winner entered the game hitting just .206 with three doubles and one homer. He hit a double in his second at-bat and finished 4 for 4 at the plate with a single.

A’s right-hander Andrew Triggs made his major league debut, pitching the eighth and striking out Collins.

“It was good to get him an inning on his first day,” Melvin said. “There will always be nerves for your first game, but now he’s got a nice, clean inning to remember and I’m sure it helped his self-confidence.”

Oakland dropped its third consecutive game on the road after winning its first seven as visitors this season, the franchise’s best start away from home since 1990.

Zimmermann (4-0) gave up a run for the first time with the Tigers following 241/3 scoreless innings, the longest by a pitcher at the start of a season in franchise history.

“I had a good little stretch going,” he said. “Unfortunately, it ended tonight. Hopefully, I can start a new one.”

Zimmermann, who signed with Detroit as a free agent after spending the first seven years of his career in Washington, gave up seven hits and three runs - one earned - and a walk.

NOTES

Athletics right-hander Henderson Alvarez made a rehab start for Triple-A Nashville on Monday night. He worked two innings for the Sounds and allowed an unearned run on one hit with one strikeout. Alvarez is hoping to return in May after shoulder surgery in July.

Triggs was called from Nashville after the A’s optioned left-hander Eric Surkamp to their minor league affiliate. Triggs was was 2-1 with a 5.14 ERA and .214 opponents batting average in six relief appearances with Nashville. He did not allow a home run and struck out nine batters in 7.0 innings. A 27-year-old right-hander, Triggs was claimed off waivers from Baltimore on March 13.