43
Cleveland continues mastery of division rival
Photo
Cleveland Indians’ Shin-Soo Choo (17) safely dives back to the bag under the tag of Detroit Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder during the first inning of Wednesday’s baseball game in Detroit. The Indians won 9-6, improving to 5-0 at Detroit this season.
Cleveland continues mastery of division rival
Associated Press
DETROIT
Cleveland manager Manny Acta watched his team pummel the Detroit Tigers once again — then sounded a note of caution.
“The championship goes through Detroit,” Acta said. “They beat us up pretty good last year, the whole division, and they’re a very good ballclub. It’s still very early.”
Michael Brantley hit a three-run homer after a Detroit error kept a first-inning rally going, and Johnny Damon added a two-run single and an impressive catch in left field to help Cleveland to a 9-6 victory over the Tigers on Wednesday night.
Casey Kotchman hit a two-run shot for the Indians, who improved to 5-0 against Detroit this season after finishing 15 games behind the AL Central champion Tigers last year.
Jeanmar Gomez (4-4) allowed six runs and seven hits in five innings for Cleveland, but four relievers held Detroit to one hit the rest of the way, with Chris Perez pitching the ninth for his 19th save in 20 chances.
“Our bullpen once again proved to be our strength, but our offense was big, too, today,” Acta said.
The slumping, banged-up Tigers fell six games under .500 and 51/2 behind second-place Cleveland, which trails only the Chicago White Sox at the top of the division.
Miguel Cabrera and Don Kelly hit solo homers for the Tigers. Max Scherzer (5-4) allowed five earned runs in 41/3 innings — and three unearned runs in the first.
Brennan Boesch, Detroit’s struggling right fielder, went hitless at the plate, but it was his dropped fly with two outs in the first that really cost the Tigers. Brantley hit a drive just inside the pole in right on the next pitch to give the Indians a 3-0 lead and extend his hitting streak to 14 games.
“We had a little miscue and we didn’t pitch above it,” Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. “When you are going good, you make an error and the guy pops up the next pitch. When you are going bad, the guy hits a three-run homer on the next pitch.”
Damon, who had been on the paternity list to be with his wife and new twin daughters, was activated Wednesday. He robbed Prince Fielder of what might have been a homer in the second with a nice catch at the wall.