INDIANS Slumping Sabathia looks for answers

The Tribe's ace struggled again in a 6-4 loss to Detroit.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Slumping in his recliner, C.C. Sabathia had a pained look of disbelief. He struggled for the right words to explain what went wrong.
None ever came.
Another bad night and another bad loss had Cleveland's pitcher searching for answers.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," Sabathia said. "I'm lost right now."
Sabathia's up-and-down season hit a new low point Thursday night when the left-hander lasted just five innings in a 6-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Eric Munson and Omar Infante each hit two-run homers off Sabathia (11-10) and Detroit's bullpen stayed busy all night to help the Tigers take their second of three in the series.
Sabathia, who as recently as Sept. 6 shut out Seattle on five hits, failed in key spots to put away Tigers hitters and paid for it. He allowed five runs and six hits in five innings -- a respectable line but not the one he or the Indians need from him.
Struggling
The two-time All-Star said he's fine physically, but for whatever reason, there have been times this season when he can't get a big out.
"It's all in my head," Sabathia said. "It's all me. I don't have any explanation for it. My stuff has been there all year but for whatever reason I'm not getting it done."
For Sabathia, the only consolation is that the Indians are playing out the season and not fighting to extend it into October.
"I keep thinking, 'What if we were in a race right now, and you got a guy supposed to be your ace pitching like this?' If this team is going to get better, I'm going to have to pitch a lot better than that," he said.
Solid pitching
Tigers starter Gary Knotts, who hasn't won in 13 appearances -- five starts -- since July 9, was leading 5-3 and was one out from being the pitcher of record when Detroit manager Alan Trammell pulled him in the fifth for Steve Colyer.
Trammell wasn't done making moves, either. He used four more relievers after Colyer, including Jamie Walker (3-4), who pitched two innings, and Esteban Yan, who worked the ninth for his fourth save.
"It wasn't easy, that's for sure," Trammell said. "It was a bullpen night, that's how we looked at it. We made some moves that worked."
Munson homered in the second and Infante connected in Detroit's three-run fifth.
Nook Logan's RBI triple in the ninth gave the Tigers an insurance run and a 6-4 lead.
Travis Hafner homered for the Indians, who have lost 20 of 28.