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DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers cant explain exactly what happened when they went to Boston in late July.They dont want to think too much about it and ruin the magic.Starting with a three-game sweep of the Red Sox at Fenway Park, the Tigers have won nine of their last 10 games. On Friday night, they beat the New York Mets 4-3 to move within two games of first-place Cleveland in the American League Central.I hope people are excited about this team, because were playing really good baseball, and having a lot of fun, said Ian Kinsler, who manufactured a key first-inning run. We want everyone to join us -- theres a lot of room on the bandwagon.Tigers ace Justin Verlander was the star once again, holding the Mets to four hits in six innings. Since July 1, he is 5-0 in seven starts with a 1.85 ERA.Obviously, being in the race adds some excitement, Verlander said. Obviously, everyone knows where we are at, and weve been around long enough that were doing some scoreboard watching, but it all comes down to how we finish.Verlander (12-6) allowed only two runs and struck out nine, but the Mets ran his pitch count up to 103 to force him out of the game. Three relievers finished, with Francisco Rodriguez pitching the ninth for his 31st save.James Loney drove in a ninth-inning run with a groundout, and Rodriguez retired Kelly Johnson to end the game. Johnson homered in the fourth for the Mets, who are now two games out of the second National League wild-card spot.We had some chances, but that guy on the mound for the Tigers is awfully good, Mets manager Terry Collins said. Verlanders one of those guys that can get himself out of just about any jam, so you have to get him fast.Noah Syndergaard (9-6) also ran into pitch-count trouble, needing 112 to get through his six innings. He gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out seven.Im trying to be too fine with my pitches instead of just trusting my stuff and letting it go, he said. I know I have the stuff to go out there and be dominant, but Ive got to let myself do it.The Tigers took advantage of Syndergaards weakness holding runners in the first. Ian Kinsler led off with a single, stole second and third and scored on Miguel Cabreras groundout. Opponents are 32 of 36 on steal attempts in Syndergaards 22 starts this season.We had an idea about running today, but you cant do anything until Ian gets himself on first base, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. He got on base and got himself to third, so while Miggy gets the RBI, Kins basically created that run.Verlander was cruising until he walked Jay Bruce on a 3-2 pitch in the fourth. He retired Loney for the second out of the inning, but Johnson hit his second homer in two nights to give the Mets a 2-1 lead.Martinez got the lead back in the bottom of the inning, lining Syndergaards changeup deep into the right-field stands for a two-run homer. James McCann added an RBI single in the inning to make it 4-2.After we got the lead, I went out to the mound telling myself that, no matter what, I couldnt blow it, Syndergaard said. Well, thats like telling someone not to think about a pink elephant. I think every major mistake I made tonight was in that inning.TRAINERS ROOMMets: OF Yoenis Cespedes (quadriceps) is on the disabled list, costing him his first visit back to Detroit since he was traded at last years deadline. Cespedes was popular with Tigers fans.Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermanns MRI showed no damage to the lat muscle that bothered him in Thursdays poor start. Zimmermann will throw a bullpen session on Sunday before the Tigers decide if he will make his next start. .... CF Cameron Maybin sat out his second straight game with a bruised thumb.INTERLEAGUE STARSThe Mets have the best interleague record (.518) of any National League team since games began in 1996, but the Tigers are significantly better at .546. Since 2006, the Tigers are second in the majors at .620 (124-76).UP NEXTThe teams play the second game in their weekend series Saturday evening, with Matt Boyd (2-2, 4.71) facing New Yorks Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.20). Boyd will be making his first interleague start, while Verrett made his first on Monday, getting a no-decision against the Yankees. Bobby Jackson Jersey . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. Maurice Stokes Jersey . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. https://www.cheapkingsbasketball.com/ . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Sacramento Kings Store . At a Manhattan federal court hearing, attorney Jordan Siev said his law office has gotten more evidence nearly every day to support its lawsuit accusing MLB and Selig of going on a "witch hunt" to ruin Rodriguezs reputation and career. He said the defendants went "way over the line. Marcus Thornton Jersey .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. NEW YORK -- As unusual as the New York Mets rotation appears to be this week, manager Terry Collins did not devise it by throwing a bunch of names into a hat. But perhaps Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly will do that with his lineup as he tries to generate some offense for his sputtering club.A pair of National League wild card contenders will meet Monday night, when the Mets host the Miami Marlins in the opener of a pivotal four-game series at Citi Field.The Marlins (67-63) and Mets (66-64) are chasing the St. Louis Cardinals, who currently occupy the second wild card spot. The Cardinals (68-61) lead the Pittsburgh Pirates (67-61) by a half-game, with the Marlins (1 1/2 games back) and the Mets (2 1/2 games back) running third and fourth.Both the Mets and Marlins missed opportunities to gain on the Cardinals on Sunday, when New York lost to the Philadelphia Phillies 5-1 while Miami fell 3-1 to the San Diego Padres.The Marlins scored just one run in losing the final two games of a three-game series to the Padres. Miami scored only 19 runs in the last eight games, a span in which it has scored more than three runs once.Following Sundays loss, Mattingly, tongue presumably planted firmly in cheek, said he might follow in the footsteps of his former manager, the late Billy Martin, and get creative in hopes of snapping the Marlins out of their slump.We could throw (names) in a hat and spin it around and hope magic pops out, Mattingly said.Collins is hoping for some magic as well with a piecemeal starting rotation. With usually sturdy right-hander Jacob deGrom beinng skipped due to his recent struggles -- he has allowed 13 runs over 9 2/3 innings in his last two starts -- the Mets will promote right-hander Rafael Montero from Double-A Binghamton for Mondays opener against Marlins ace right-hander Jose Fernandez.ddddddddddddMontero, who has made nine big league starts but has not started for the Mets since April 28, 2015, is expected to be followed in the rotation Tuesday by rookie right-hander Seth Lugo, who will be making his third big league start. The Mets losing pitcher Sunday was rookie right-hander Robert Gsellman, who made his first career start.I always look at it as a learning process, and if these guys are going to pitch at the major league level, theres no better learning area than to pitch in a pennant race and learn how to deal with the pressures and the stress of what youve got to do to go out and do your job, Collins said.The strength of the Mets was supposed to be their quartet of young fireballers -- right-handers deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey and left-hander Steven Matz -- but Harvey is out for the season after undergoing surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome and Matz is on the disabled list with a sore left shoulder, though he is expected to return and start Thursdays series finale.Yeah, this is the first time Ive had three rookies -- basically, three rookies -- in a row pitching, said Collins, who has managed 1,818 major league games. But its what weve got. ' ' '