DETROIT -- A few significant firsts prevented the Detroit Tigers from falling into last place.

Dixon Machado hit his first major league homer, Anibal Sanchez collected his first victory of the season, and the Tigers defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-2 on Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park.

The Tigers came into the game just a half-game ahead of the last-place Chicago White Sox in the American League Central Division standings.

Machado's two-run homer off Giants emergency starter Chris Stratton highlighted a three-run second inning for the Tigers (38-46), who finished off a 5-4 homestand.

"The best thing is I knew it right away so I could enjoy it," said Machado, the team's utility infielder. "It feels good to help the team win, that's the best part. I was looking to hit the ball hard and try to bring that run in. He left it up and I just swung and got it."

Machado is batting .314 while appearing in 33 of the team's 84 games.

"It's really hard, more mentally than anything else," Machado said of his backup duties. "Of course, I run every day and you do your work in the weight room and all that but it's more mentally. You just need to believe in yourself."

Alex Presley had two hits and drove in two runs and Nicholas Castellanos added two hits, including his American League-leading sixth triple, with a run scored and an RBI.

Sanchez (1-0), who was making his 15th appearance this season, recorded his first victory since Aug. 23 of last season against Minnesota. He limited the Giants to two runs on five hits and struck out a season-high eight over six innings.

"Earlier this year, I was in the bullpen. The transition wasn't easy for me but right now I'm in a pretty good position in the rotation," said Sanchez, who was making his fourth start since a stint at Triple-A Toledo. "I want to do a good job any time I take the ball. I want to help the team. I didn't early in the season."

The Giants' scheduled starter, Johnny Cueto, was a late scratch because of an inner ear infection. Stratton (0-2) made his first major league start in his place and lasted 6 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits while walking five. The right-hander had made nine relief appearances for the Giants over the past two seasons.

"I'm sure the pitch he'd like to have back is to the young kid that hit the home run," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's a fastball hitter, (Stratton) threw that in his wheelhouse and it did some damage there or else it's a closer ballgame. But he settled down and got us deep into the game."

Cueto had been feeling ill in recent days, according to Bochy.

"Johnny was actually prepping to get ready for the game and he got dizzy with his inner ear infection, so we weren't comfortable putting him out there in that situation," Bochy said.

Joe Panik had an RBI triple and also scored for the Giants (34-53), who had won seven of their previous eight games.

Miguel Cabrera's RBI single in the first put the Tigers in front. Castellanos sparked a three-run second with his leadoff triple. Presley's single knocked him in and, one out later, Machado blasted a 1-1 pitch into the left-field stands.

Presley had another run-scoring single in the third inning to make it 5-0.

The Giants broke through in the sixth on Panik's RBI triple and Hunter Pence's run-scoring groundout.

Castellanos' RBI single in the eighth off Kyle Crick completed the scoring.

NOTES: Detroit LHP Daniel Norris was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Thursday with a left groin strain. He has allowed five earned runs in each of his last three outings. LHP Blaine Hardy was recalled from Triple-A Toledo to take his roster spot. ... Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner was rocked for nine runs, including four homers, in a Class A rehab start for San Jose on Wednesday. Bumgarner, who pitched four innings, is scheduled to have another rehab start on Monday with the possibility of returning to the Giants next weekend. ... Tigers DH Victor Martinez, who has 1,999 career hits, got the day off. ... Despite the loss, San Francisco finished its road trip with a 4-2 record. It's the Giants' first winning road trip since they went 3-2 at Oakland and Arizona a year ago on June 29-July 3.