AMERICAN LEAGUE Streaking Tigers top Tribe, 3-1

Detroit won its eighth straight game and 15th in its last 16 outings.
DETROIT (AP) -- Justin Verlander pitched seven impressive innings and Magglio Ordonez hit a two-run homer to help Detroit win its eighth straight game with a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night.
It was the Tigers' 15th victory in its last 16 games. Detroit owns the major league's best record at 35-14. That win total is just eight less than Detroit had during the entire 2003 season, in which it lost 119 games.
Verlander (7-3) won his fourth-consecutive decision as he allowed a run and seven hits in seven innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out five.
But he did have his 20-inning scoreless streak halted by Grady Sizemore's home run leading off the fourth inning.
Fernando Rodney pitched the eighth and Todd Jones took over in the ninth for his 16th save in 17 opportunities.
Monroe prevents homer
Tigers left fielder Craig Monroe robbed Sizemore of a second home run when he leaped above the fence to catch Sizemore's drive with none out in the eighth and a runner on second.
Cleveland starter Paul Byrd (4-3) took the loss. He gave up two unearned runs and five hits in six innings.
He also didn't allow a walk and struck out five.
Detroit got all the runs it needed in the first on Ordonez's two-out, two-run homer.
Carlos Guillen, who had reached on an error, scored ahead of Ordonez's 12th home run.
Sizemore drove Verlander's 1-0 pitch into the right-field stands to lead off the fourth for his ninth home run of the season.
Verlander faced his toughest jam in the sixth.
Aaron Boone led off with a double and, one out later, Verlander hit Casey Blake.
But the rookie then struck out Jhonny Peralta and Travis Hafner swinging to end the inning.
The Tigers made it 3-1 in the eighth with an RBI single by Placido Polanco.
Notes
Right-handed reliever Ramon Colon will take LHP Mike Maroth's spot in Detroit's starting rotation. Maroth is on the 15-day DL because of irritation in his left elbow. Colon will start Tuesday. ... Sizemore stretched his hitting streak to eight games (11-for-35).
CLEVELANDDETROIT
abrhbiabrhbi
Szmore cf4111Grndsn cf4110
Blake rf2000Planco 2b4031
JhPlta ss4010CGillen ss4100
Hafner dh4020MOrdz rf3112
VMrtnz c4000Shltn 1b3020
Brssrd 1b4000Hnnhan dh3000
Blliard 2b3030Monroe lf3010
Hlndsw lf3000Inge 3b3000
Boone 3b3020VWlson c3000
Totals31191Totals30383
Cleveland000100000--1
Detroit20000001x--3
E--Broussard (3). DP--Cleveland 1, Detroit 4. LOB--Cleveland 5, Detroit 3. 2B--Belliard (7), Boone 2 (11), Granderson (10), Polanco (5), Shelton (10). HR--Sizemore (9), MOrdonez (12). CS--Monroe (2).
IPHRERBBSO
Cleveland
Byrd L,4-4762006
FCabrera121101
Detroit
Verlander W,7-3771115
Rodney110001
TJones S,16110000
HBP--by Verlander (Blake). Umpires--Home, Gary Darling; First, Larry Poncino; Second, Bruce Dreckman; Third, Rob Drake. T--2:06. A--37,102.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.