DETROIT --
The Tigers have a tough stretch over the second half, beginning with a four-game series against the Twins that starts Thursday. The way manager Ron Gardenhire reshuffled his young bullpen to finish off the Cubs series finale creates some intrigue going into that matchup.\n\nThe Cubs carried a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning as starter Jon Lester held the Tigers to 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The piggyback duo of Michael Fulmer and Daniel Norris held Chicago to an Anthony Rizzo RBI single and Javier Báez sacrifice fly, both off Fulmer in the third.\n\nWith the middle of the Cubs' lineup due up in the sixth, Gardenhire went to Jiménez, who has been Detroit’s closer since last August and saved four of Detroit’s first six games, but has struggled since then for opportunities and outs. Gardenhire said last week he wanted to get more work for Jiménez, who made just three appearances over the previous two weeks.\n\n“He's a little out of whack, a little frustrated, overthrowing the ball,” Gardenhire said. “So we decided we're going to try to get him in, if you possibly can, in a situation where it's a little easier on him right now so he's not trying to overthrow.”\n\nSchwarber stretched the Cubs' lead with an opposite-field solo homer but Jiménez induced three groundouts, stranding a runner at second to keep the Tigers within two runs. Detroit batted around in the bottom of the frame, starting with back-to-back doubles from Cameron Maybin and Austin Romine off part-time Cubs closer Rowan Wick.
Cabrera’s seventh-inning RBI single, his third hit of the game, stretched the lead to 7-2. They needed every one of those runs by the end.\n\nGardenhire used his late-inning relievers the way he has used hard-throwing lefty
“Contrary to popular belief, some guys are not going to be perfect every night. Tonight was one of those nights for me,” Farmer said. “I had to battle to get the ball down in the zone.”\n\nFour hits and two runs later, the Cubs had Rizzo up and the tying run on base in a 7-5 game. Rizzo hit a drive to center field estimated at 424 feet by Statcast, but