After 6th inning surge, Tigers stomped by Pirates, 10-1

**Admin** Sat May 21, 2011 2:41 am

A six-run sixth inning doomed the Detroit Tigers as they lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 10-1 in the first interleague game of the season.

Jose Tabata, Garrett Jones and Neil Walker, the Pirates' No. 2, 3 and 4 hitters, each had two hits. Walker had a home run and five RBIs. Jones drove in two runs.

After winning seven in a row, the Tigers have now dropped four straight and are back at .500 at 22-22. Detroit has scored just six runs in the four-game skid.

Tigers' starting pitcher Brad Penny (4-4) struck four batters, but gave up five earned runs on six hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings. The only bright side to the Tigers' night was Austin Jackson, who extended his hitting streak to 12 — the longest of his career — with a double in the sixth.