Indians flattened; Tigers avoid sweep

Associated Press

DETROIT

Jason Donald was back at Comerica Park, causing more commotion.

Two years ago, Donald was incorrectly called safe at first by umpire Jim Joyce, costing Detroit’s Armando Galarraga a perfect game. On Wednesday night, the Cleveland third baseman made a terrific catch in foul ground while tumbling into the crowd during the Indians’ 7-1 loss to the Tigers — but a young woman was shaken up.

“I felt terrible, because the young girl I landed on was already wearing a back brace, and she was crying, so I was trying to make sure she was OK and get off of her without hurting her,” Donald said. “Her dad seemed mad at me, but he said she was OK.”

The young woman was able to walk away after Donald’s fourth-inning catch. Then in the top of the fifth, Donald was called out on a very close play by Joyce, who happened to be umpiring first again.

“I asked Jim if that was a makeup call from two years ago, and he told me that I was going to give him a heart attack if I kept doing that here,” Donald said. “I told him I was more safe this time than I was last time, and we both laughed. He’s one of the best umpires in the game, and he knows how much we all respect him.”

Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Prince Fielder added a solo shot in the eighth to help the Tigers avoid a three-game sweep. Detroit’s Doug Fister (8-8) allowed a run and four hits in seven innings.

Ubaldo Jimenez (9-15) gave up four runs and six hits in 71/3 innings. He was generally sharp after allowing Cabrera’s 35th homer of the year, but Detroit tacked on five more runs in the eighth to break it open.

The Tigers lost back-to-back 3-2 games to begin the series but took the finale to remain a game behind the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.