Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry (39) tags the Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong out as he attempts to return to third base in the fifth inning of Friday’s 3-1 Cubs loss in Detroit. AP

DETROIT — The best of both leagues matched up in Motown on Friday, and the difference in Detroit's 3-1 victory over the Cubs was precision engineering.

The Cubs cost themselves runs, probably gave up one needlessly, while the Tigers were nearly perfect, with several stellar defensive plays.

“If anything, it kind of highlights a lot of the stuff we've been doing to win baseball games,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “We made a mistake on the bases that likely cost us some runs. When it's this close and it's tough to score, those things tend to come back to hurt you.”

The Cubs collected a season-high 9 hits

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