Cabrera leaves game after awkward slide

DETROIT -- A bad week got even worse for the Tigers Thursday afternoon when Miguel Cabrera had to leave the game with an injury.

With the Tigers trailing Oakland 6-1 in the fifth inning, Cabrera launched a ball into the right-centerfield gap that looked like an easy double. However, with his assortment of injuries, he was unable to move at anything beyond a slow jog. When he realized that Oakland was going to make a play on him, he tried to accelerate in the final few yards before sliding awkwardly into Eric Sogard's tag.

Cabrera was slow to get up, and he was met by trainer Kevin Rand as he limped toward the dugout. After a brief conversation with Rand and Jim Leyland, Cabrera stayed in the dugout for the sixth inning, with Don Kelly moving to third base.

Cabrera, though, said after Detroit's dramatic 7-6 victory that he was fine.

"I'm OK," he repeated several times. "I'll play tomorrow. Just the same thing as before. It's OK."

He wasn't on the field when the team celebrated Torii Hunter's walk-off homer, but said he had his own party.

"I was jumping up and down," he said. "Here in the clubhouse, by myself."