Lost weekend in Detroit all but kills Tribe’s hopes

Associated Press

DETROIT

The Cleveland Indians can start thinking about October vacation plans.

Ian Kinsler hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning, and the Tigers beat the Indians 6-4 Sunday for a three-game sweep that left Cleveland five games back for the second AL wild card with 14 games left.

“Now we’re going to have to get real hot real fast,” center fielder Michael Bourn said. “I feel like we had a chance to win two out of three. They showed us why they won the division the last three years.”

Kinsler’s homer off Bryan Shaw (5-5), his first since Aug. 30, followed Rajai Davis’ infield single and put the Tigers ahead 4-3.

“It’s not easy to get to that guy,” Kinsler said.

A night earlier, Alex Avila hit a two-out, two-run homer off Shaw in the eighth inning of the Tigers’ 5-4 win.

Detroit widened its lead in the eighth inning Sunday on C.C. Lee’s run-scoring wild pitch over a shoulder of catcher Chris Gimenez during an intentional walk to Kinsler. Torii Hunter followed with a run-scoring forceout.

“That was absolutely a huge play,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said of the wild pitch.

Phil Coke (5-2) pitched a scoreless seventh for Detroit, which won for the sixth time in seven games. The Tigers have their largest lead since before play on Aug. 10.

Joe Nathan gave up Carlos Santana’s RBI double in the ninth before getting his 32nd save in 38 chances and eighth in a row. With runners on first and second and no outs, Yan Gomes grounded into a double play, and pinch-hitter Jason Giambi hit a game-ending flyout.

While the Tigers go to last-place Minnesota for a three-game series, second-place Kansas City hosts the Chicago White Sox for three games. Detroit plays three games at Kansas City next weekend.

“Every game is huge,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “Every game we play matters. Every game Kansas City plays matters.”

Detroit starter Justin Verlander allowed three runs and six hits in 52/3 innings, leaving his season ERA at 4.81. He is 7-8 with a 5.40 ERA since late May.

Cleveland’s Trevor Bauer gave up two runs — one earned — and six hits in five innings.

J.D. Martinez hit a solo homer in the fourth, a booming drive into the center-field hedges for his 22nd home run this season.