DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera left the batters box with a bit of a hop in his step while his drive to right field sailed over the wall. "A long time, I had not hit a home run," the slugger said. Cabreras solo shot in the sixth inning was his 44th of the year, but his first since Aug. 26. It was perhaps the most encouraging highlight for Detroit in a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night that kept the Tigers six games ahead of second-place Cleveland in the AL Central. Detroits magic number to eliminate the Indians is six. Ahead 3-2, the Tigers escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth while playing without closer Joaquin Benoit and left-handed reliever Drew Smyly. They were both given the night off. "We need everybody here on our ballclub," Cabrera said. "I think everybody here stepped up tonight and did their jobs. Its what we need to still win our games, what we need if we go to the playoffs." Anibal Sanchez struck out 10 in 6 1-3 innings, but the Mariners tied it at 2 against him in the seventh, forcing Detroits relievers into action. Al Alburquerque (3-3) got out of the seventh, and Phil Coke and Jose Alvarez made it through a dodgy eighth. Alvarez got two outs in the ninth, and Jose Veras finished. Yoervis Medina (4-6) took the loss. The Mariners have dropped eight of nine. Cabrera has been bothered by a number of injuries that have affected his legs and midsection, so his opposite-field solo shot was a welcome sight for the Comerica Park crowd. It gave Detroit a 2-1 lead, but pinch-hitter Kendrys Morales tied it with an RBI double in the seventh. Alex Avila led off the bottom of the seventh with his first triple of the year, and after Jose Iglesias was hit by a pitch, Avila was caught in a rundown between third and home on Jacksons grounder. Avila stayed in the rundown long enough to enable Iglesias to go all the way from first to third, and Torii Hunters sacrifice fly put the Tigers ahead 3-2. They werent safe yet, though. With Benoit and Smyly unavailable, Coke walked two hitters, sandwiched around an error by Iglesias at shortstop. Alvarez came on with the bases loaded and got Mike Zunino to hit into a double play that kept the Tigers ahead. "Obviously, I was trying for a groundball," Alvarez said. "That was a good AB for the hitter -- a couple good pitches foul. ... If we dont make the play in that situation, it costs us the game maybe, but we make it and we take the win." Zunino drew two walks but couldnt come through in what was probably the biggest at-bat of the game. "I was just trying to battle and get the ball to the outfield," he said. "Im sure I saw every pitch he had, and I was keeping myself alive, but I just didnt do what I needed to do. A groundball was the worst thing in the world right there, and they turned two on me." Omar Infante added an RBI single in the bottom of the inning, and Austin Jacksons two-run single made it 6-2. Sanchez allowed six hits and two walks in 6 1-3 innings. His American League-leading ERA is now at 2.51. He threw 125 pitches. "Im not tired, more frustrated that I got the lead twice today and I dont keep the score," Sanchez said. "But at the end we win. Thats the most important thing." Don Kellys fourth-inning homer put Detroit ahead 1-0, but Raul Ibanez tied it in the sixth with his 28th homer of the year. Seattle starter Brandon Maurer pitched five-plus innings, allowing two runs and five hits. He walked two and struck out six. "I thought Maurer was much better today than hes been," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. "Hes struggled lately, and he was pitching at this time of year against that team, but he didnt let any of that get to him. He kept his emotions in check and did a very nice job." NOTES: Detroit manager Jim Leyland said DH Victor Martinez will catch Thursdays game. ... Detroit RHP Justin Verlander (13-11) faces Seattle RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (12-6) on Wednesday night. Wilt Chamberlain Lakers Jersey . Gough finished in fourth, 0.433 seconds behind American Erin Hamlin, who took the bronze medal at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rzhanaya Polyana. LeBron James Jersey . The 34-year-old averaged 10.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 82 games played in 2013-14 with the Utah Jazz. Jefferson has averaged 14.5 points, 4. http://www.lakersbasketballshop.com/Kentavious-Caldwell-Pope-Jersey/ . Millsap will miss Wednesday nights game against the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks say Millsap also will be held out on Thursday at Boston. Byron Scott Jersey . Warren made six birdies and a bogey for a 5-under total of 139 to sit one shot ahead of Felipe Aguilar of Chile, who carded a 69. 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"I hope Sweden wins, cause I dont think Hammer (Dan Hamhuis) is going to play, judging by whats happened.SAN DIEGO - Baseballs winter meetings ended with an old-style spurt of swaps, with All-Stars switching teams at a rapid pace and executives scrambling to fill roster voids.Alfredo Simon, Dee Gordon, Yoenis Cespedes, Miguel Montero, Jeff Samardzija, Brandon Moss, Dan Haren and Howie Kendrick were among the All-Stars dealt by the time teams headed home Thursday, and Matt Kemp and Jimmy Rollins were on the verge of switching clubs.The Los Angeles and Chicago teams were the epicenter of change along with Miami.Twelve trades involving 44 players were made over the four days, according to Major League Baseball, up from five swaps last year and three in 2012. There hadnt been this many trades at a winter meetings since 2006.People are motivated, Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said.With major league revenues in the $9 billion range, increased sharing and changes to rules for the amateur draft, more clubs have money to spend and large-market teams are more constrained.The four organizations chasing San Francisco in the NL West all changed their top baseball front-office official since last years gathering: Tony La Russa took over at the Diamondbacks, Andrew Friedman with the Dodgers, A. J. Preller with the Padres and Jeff Bridich with the Rockies. Matt Silverman replaced Friedman with the Rays.People have been very, very aggressive, Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said. Action starts more quickly, so when you get here I think youre prepared to move. Secondly, a lot of free agents started to sign. I think a lot of clubs were open-minded. Theres been some change of regimes that have also contributed to that.A $155 million, six-year agreement between left-hander Jon Lester and the Cubs late Tuesday night seemed to break a market logjam.In deals announced just before midnight Wednesday, the Dodgers acquired Kendrick from the Angels to play second and worked to obtain Rollins from Philadelphia in a remake of their middle infield. They dealt Gordon, Haren — who is mulling retirement — infielder Miguel Rojas and a player to be named or cash to the Marlins as part of a seven-player trade for left-hander Andrew Heaney, right-hander Chris Hatcher, infielder Kike Hernandez and catcher Austin Barnes.The Dodgers then seent Heaney, considered one of baseballs top pitching prospects, to the Angels for Kendrick.dddddddddddd.And as dawn broke, the Dodgers had a deal in place to send Kemp and catcher Tim Federowicz down Interstate 5 to San Diego for catcher Yasmani Grandal and two pitchers. The trade was pending physical exams and approval by the commissioners office of the $32 million the Dodgers would send the Padres to help offset the $107 million remaining in the final five years of Kemps deal.And the Dodgers also worked to complete a $48 million, four-year agreement with pitcher Brandon McCarthy.Detroit made a pair of trades, sending Rick Porcello to Boston for Cespedes and two minor leaguers and replacing Porcello on its staff with Alfredo Simon, obtained from Cincinnati for two minor leaguers. Reds GM Walt Jocketty made that deal in a hotel hallway — Dombrowskis room was right near his.Boston also completed a one-year, $9.5 million deal with free-agent pitcher Justin Masterson, who began his career with the Red Sox, and worked to finalize a trade with Arizona for pitcher Wade Miley.Theres obviously been a lot more movement. The pace has quickened, certainly, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said. As expected, it picked up after Lester.The Cubs also have a $20 million, two-year deal with right-hander Jason Hammel. And they acquired All-Star catcher Miguel Montero from Arizona as they try to bring a World Series title to the North Side for the first time since 1908.On the South Side, the White Sox struck a $46 million, four-year deal with closer David Robertson and acquired starter Jeff Samardzija from Oakland after adding reliever Zach Duke and first baseman Adam LaRoche earlier in the off-season.Other teams in the Central divisions were adding, too. Minnesota and right-hander Ervin Santana worked to finalize a $55 million, four-year agreement, and AL champion Kansas City had a $17 million, two-year deal in place with Kendrys Morales. He figures to take over at designated hitter from Billy Butler, who left as a free agent and agreed to a $30 million, three-year deal with Oakland.Jocketty attributed much of the action to new team bosses.I think they wanted to be active and try to do things quickly, he said. ' ' '