OAKLAND, Calif. -- Detroit Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes hit the first 66 home runs of his major-league career when he played for the Oakland Athletics.

Cespedes showed the A's on Wednesday what it's like to be on the wrong side of one of his blasts. He launched a three-run homer in the fifth inning and powered the Tigers to a 3-2 victory at O.co Coliseum.

"I feel very happy because even though I have a lot of affection for this team, I play for (Detroit) now, and what I want to do is win," Cespedes said.

Cespedes played his first two-plus major-league seasons for the A's before being traded to Boston on July 31 for left-hander Jon Lester.

Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler doubled with two outs in the fifth and A's right-hander Dan Otero intentionally walked first baseman Miguel Cabrera, bringing Cespedes to the plate. Cespedes made the A's pay, lining Otero's 2-2 pitch over the left-field fence and giving Detroit a 3-0 lead.

"I concentrated a little bit more," Cespedes said. "I knew I had to do something and demonstrate that I could. I never thought I was going to hit a home run, but I was confident I would do something."

A's manager Bob Melvin has seen Cespedes hit plenty of home runs, but he had no second thoughts about walking Cabrera.

"Every time we play the Tigers, we don't let Cabrera beat us, whether it's Victor Martinez or whoever is behind him, in a 0-0 game," Melvin said. "Now that doesn't mean it's an easy matchup afterward, but it's kind of the lesser of two evils."

Otero threw Cespedes a changeup, and he hammered it.

"Tried to make a good pitch and left it up a little bit," Otero said. "And he put a good swing on it."

Detroit right-hander Alfredo Simon missed his scheduled start to be with his ill father and went on the bereavement list, so manager Brad Ausmus turned the game over to his bullpen.

The Tigers used six pitchers: Alex Wilson, Kyle Ryan, Al Alburquerque, Blaine Hardy, Joba Chamberlain and closer Joakim Soria. They held the A's to two runs and six hits.

Wilson made his first career major-league start and blanked the A's on no hits for three innings. Wilson said he treated his first start as if it were a relief appearance.

"I went out early and played catch," Wilson said. "I waited until the game started and then I got on the mound. It's a long relief appearance for me."

Ryan, who was called up Wednesday from Triple-A Toledo to take Simon's roster spot, allowed one run and three hits in the next three innings and picked up the win. His flight from Louisville, via Chicago, didn't land in Oakland until around two hours before first pitch, which is why Ausmus had Wilson start.

"Got in a cab at 4 (a.m.), got on a plane at 6, got about three hours of sleep from (Chicago) to Oakland," Ryan said. "I could have started, but I understand why I didn't, just to not rush me as much, because I was rushed. I was speeding it through the airport."

A's left-hander Scott Kazmir threw three shutout innings and held the Tigers hitless but left the game because of tightness in his left shoulder. Kazmir, who made the American League All-Star team last season, struck out four, walked three and threw 47 pitches.

Melvin said he didn't know whether Kazmir would need to go on the disabled list.

"He probably felt like he could continue to pitch, but it didn't make any sense to. He's getting an MRI right now as we speak," Melvin said. "I think it started bothering him as the game went along. You could tell he was a little uncomfortable after the first pitch when he was coming off the mound. His body language wasn't great, so we didn't want to push him."

Otero took over and gave up three runs and five hits in two innings. Otero's record fell to 2-3, and his ERA climbed to 4.88. Last year, he was 8-2 with a 2.28 ERA.

The A's cu