Snap Reaction: The Tigers may have gone 3-4 on the West Coast portion of the trip, but it sure felt worse, didn't it?

The Tigers twice broke the tie, scoring the game's first run in the fifth when Miguel Cabrera drove in Austin Jackson. The A's answered in the bottom half of the frame with Seth Smith's solo home run.

Detroit went up 2-1 in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of some wildness from A's stater Jarrod Parker and reliever Grant Balfour to plate the run. Jackson walked in the run, after a double and two walks loaded the bases with two outs.

A bit of ninth inning insurance helped. Ryan Raburn doubled off the center field wall (though he was later out at third on a failed bunt by Danny Worth when the A's demonstrated the wheel play). Austin Jackson walked, becoming the lead runner after the bunt, then scored on a single by Cabrera.

Cabrera had three hits, and Brennan Boesch had two.

Verlander pitched for seven innings, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out eight. En route, he pitched through six innings for the 50th consecutive start. With the ace on the mound, you know the middle relief can enjoy the day off. A stat from Fox Sports Detroit: The Tigers are now 19-3 in the past two seasons when Verlander pitches following a loss.

Joaquin Benoit allowed a baserunner in the eighth with a leadoff walk, but escaped after an A's sacrifice and a pair of strikeouts. Jose Valverde threw a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.