Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Justin Verlander was solid in eight innings on the mound, striking out a season-high 11, and Brennan Boesch homered and drove in four runs to power Detroit past Washington, 8-3, in the second of a three-game interleague set at Comerica Park.
Verlander (8-4) gave up seven hits and did not issue a walk, as the Tigers won their fifth in a row.
Boesch had three hits and scored twice, while Gerald Laird drove in two runs to push Detroit to its seventh straight win at home.
Livan Hernandez (5-4) suffered the loss after yielding all eight runs on only seven hits over 6 2/3 innings. He walked six batters, four of whom came in to score, while fanning only two, as the Nats fell for a fourth time in their last five games.
Adam Dunn and Roger Bernadina belted solo home runs for Washington.
Washington got the scoring started with Dunn's solo shot to center field with two outs in the first and Bernadina followed suit in the second inning with a blast to right field to put the visitors in front, 2-0.
The Tigers answered back in their half of the second on a bases loaded walk to Brandon Inge and a two-run single to left field by Laird. A sacrifice bunt by Ramon Santiago that put runners at second and third with one away was followed by Don Kelly's sacrifice fly that capped off the four-run rally.
Magglio Ordonez led off the third with a single, moved to second on a ground out and scored when Boesch singled into center field.
Cristian Guzman started the sixth with an infield hit, advanced to second on a ground ball out and scored on a two-out single by Ivan Rodriguez to trim the Tigers advantage to 5-3.
Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera singled with two outs in the seventh before Boesch unloaded a three-run blast to right field to put the game out of reach.
Dunn has hit a home run in five of his last eight games...Washington has lost Hernandez's last four starts on the road...Bernadina has hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games...Detroit is 34-6 in interleague play at home since May 20, 2006...Carlos Guillen was 1-for-2 with two walks, and has hit safely in eight straight, while Ordonez pushed his hitting streak to six in a row...Inge went hitless in two at-bats and lost a 10-game hit streak...Verlander is 11-1 in 15 interleague starts...Enrique Gonzalez tossed a scoreless ninth for the Tigers.