Bauer, Aviles team up to tame Tigers

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Trevor Bauer walked into the Indians’ clubhouse lugging the javelin-like exercise bar he uses to warm up and zipped it inside a vinyl carrying case in his locker.

He packed the Tigers away almost as easily.

Bauer outpitched former Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander and tamed Detroit’s menacing lineup, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 6-2 win on Tuesday night.

Bauer (1-1), recalled earlier in the day for his second start this season, held the AL’s top hitting team to two runs and seven hits in six-plus innings.

“He was aggressive, attacking the strike zone,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He changed speeds and used all his pitches. That’s not the easiest assignment, coming up from Triple-A to face them. He really did a great job.”

Mike Aviles hit a two-run double in the second when the Indians scored four runs off Verlander (5-3), who didn’t settle in until the damage was already done.

David Murphy homered in the seventh for the last-place Indians, who can sweep the three-game series with the Central-leading Tigers in this afternoon’s game.

Torii Hunter and Alex Avila homered for Detroit, which has lost two straight road games after winning 11 in a row.

The Indians were anxious to see how the head-strong 23-year-old Bauer, with the unorthodox warm-up routine and blazing fastball, would perform against a lineup featuring Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Hunter. Bauer has been dominating minor league hitters at Columbus, and had never faced any hitters of this caliber.

He was more than up for the challenge.