Justin Upton catches fire as Tigers rout Pirates

Alec Brzezinski

Justin Upton catches fire as Tigers rout Pirates image

Each night in the 2016 baseball season, we'll run down the top news, facts and highlights from action around Major League Baseball.

Tigers fans attending their team's 8-2 rout over the Pirates on Tuesday at Comerica Park got a real treat if they're into offense.

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Detroit had four batters with multiple hits. Justin Upton was one of two with four hits, including his first home run of the season. He also drove in two runs and scored three, which helped to ease any creeping doubts about the $132 million man. After Upton started the season 5 for 22 with no home runs and zero RBIs, fantasy owners and Tigers fans alike were beginning to grow impatient.

Fellow outfielder J.D. Martinez also had four hits and two RBIs.

MORE: Fan catches five foul balls at Tigers game

The Tigers (4-2) have scored four or more runs in all six of their games. They also lead the majors with a .298 team average. Injuries could become an issue for the aging lineup, but right now they look more like World Series contenders than the hapless bunch that missed the postseason last year.

Player of the Day

Orioles outfielder Mark Trumbo continued his hot streak in Baltimore's 9-5 win over the Red Sox. He went 3 for 4 with a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored as he helped Baltimore become just the 28th team since 1903 to start a season 7-0 or better.

Highlight

Paul Goldschmidt made the Dodgers pay:

Three things to know

— Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy has the two shortest home runs of the season — both hit Tuesday at Fenway Park. The first clocked in at 327 feet in the fourth inning. He then sent a 339-foot blast into the seats in the seventh inning.

— This is the first time since 1988 the Braves have started a season 0-7. It's their third 0-7 start since moving to Atlanta in 1966.

— Kenta Maeda is the second Dodgers pitcher since 1900 to throw at least six scoreless innings in each of his first two career starts. He took a no-decision Tuesday despite allowing just five hits in his six shutout frames.

What's next

Yankees (4-2) at Blue Jays (3-5), 7:07 p.m. ET: It's too early for a game to be important, but Toronto has lost five of its last six games — all against AL East opponents. J.A. Happ (0-0, 3.00 ERA) will try to right the ship against Michael Pineda (1-0, 10.80 ERA).

Reds (5-2) at Cubs (6-1), 8:05 p.m. ET: Cincinnati, one of the surprise teams so far, will have Alfredo Simon (0-0, 1.80 ERA) on the mound. Chicago will counter with John Lackey (1-0, 9.00 ERA), who is making his second start of the season. The 37-year-old struggled in his Cubs debut (six earned runs over six innings against Arizona).

Alec Brzezinski