Tigers catcher homers in his 1st career at-bat in sweep of A’s

DETROIT — Eduardo Valencia became the 10th Detroit player to homer in his first career plate appearance, Framber Valdez pitched seven innings and the Tigers beat the Athletics 4-1 on Thursday night for a series sweep.

Valencia entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh against Hogan Harris and sent a 425-foot shot to center to cap the scoring and help the Tigers seal their third straight series victory. Valencia, a 26-year-old catcher, was called up from Triple-A Toledo on Thursday with fellow catcher Dillon Dingler recovering from a right hand contusion.

Valdez (5-6) had a season-high nine strikeouts and limited the A’s to one run on three hits. Kyle Finnegan worked the eighth, and Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 11th save.

Detroit has won five straight and is 21-12 since June 1. The Tigers have climbed within 4½ games of first place in the AL Central.

Jake Rogers and Zach McKinstry also homered for Detroit.

Rogers hit his third homer of the year, and second in two games, to left in the third to make it 1-0. McKinstry had a two-run shot to left in the fifth.

Jack Perkins (2-5) allowed three runs on two hits in three inning for the Athletics.

Henry Bolte drove in the Athletics’ only run in the fifth on a groundout. The Athletics’ Zack Gelof left the game in the third after injuring his knee crashing into the outfield wall.

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The Athletics had not announced a starter for their game Friday night in Chicago opposite White Sox right-handed pitcher Sean Burke (5-4, 3.56).