Byrd goes inside to blank Detroit

The Tribe’s starter went into the eighth inning in the 5-0 victory.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Paul Byrd got an inside tip while warming up, then went out and used it.

Byrd pitched into the eighth inning and combined with Edward Mujica on a four-hitter, sending the Cleveland Indians to a 5-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers Monday night.

Byrd (5-10) gave up four hits over 72‚Ñ3 innings and didn’t allow a runner past second base. The right-hander struck out four, walked three and earned his second straight win after going 1-7 over a stretch of 10 starts.

Byrd said he found the confidence he needed to pitch inside while preparing for the game with bullpen catcher Dennis Malave, who stands in the batter’s box while Indians pitchers warm up to get them accustomed to throwing to hitters.

“He jumped away from two pitches at his ankles, then I hit him in the knee and drilled him square in the back with a pitch,” Byrd said. “I said, ‘I’m scared. I can’t pitch inside, I better try throwing everything away tonight.’

“Dennis came up, hit me in the chest hard — maybe to get back at me — and said, ‘You’ve got to bury the ball inside to win. Do it.’ ”

Byrd did, sending the Tigers to their AL-worst 11th shutout in the opener of their season-high 10-game trip. Detroit, which remained 61‚Ñ2 games out in the Central, is hoping to make a move while playing four games in Cleveland and three apiece at Tampa Bay and Chicago against the division-leading White Sox.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he will give his players a break from batting practice Tuesday after being baffled by Byrd, who improved to 10-2 in his career against Detroit.

“Give a lot of credit to Paul Byrd,” Leyland said. “He’s been fantastic against us. He changes speeds, stays out of the middle of the plate, cuts the ball, sinks the ball. He’s a pitcher.”

Byrd allowed singles to Magglio Ordonez in the fourth, Matt Joyce in the seventh and Curtis Granderson in the eighth. Granderson doubled into the right-field corner to open the sixth, but Byrd got three quick outs on only 11 pitches.

Mujica struck out two in 11‚Ñ3 innings for Cleveland, which tied the Boston Red Sox for the most shutouts in the majors with 11.

Kelly Shoppach and Asdrubal Cabrera hit home runs off Kenny Rogers (8-7) in a three-run sixth.

Rogers gave up five runs and nine hits over 52‚Ñ3 innings on the 14th anniversary of his perfect game, for the Texas Rangers against the Angels.