Last-minute substitute House unable to stop Tigers

Associated Press

DETROIT

No matter who was pitching, the Cleveland Indians wanted to avoid Miguel Cabrera.

They did, and the Detroit slugger still managed to hurt them.

Fill-in T.J. House started after Trevor Bauer was scratched with an illness, and the Indians wound up falling to the Tigers 4-1 Saturday.

“Probably not the flu. Probably food poisoning. He ate something last night that didn’t go down well,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “He came to the park today and we tried to get some fluids in him.”

“We put T.J. on notice that he might have to pitch. He warmed up and still didn’t feel good,” he said.

House (0-3) gave up three runs on four hits and four walks in three innings.

“Baseball can be crazy. You’ve got to roll with the punches and be ready for anything to happen,” House said. “Today wasn’t an ideal situation.

“The way I look at is that I always want to stay positive and make the best of the situation.”

Said Francona: “I still think he’s trying to find his rhythm. When he’s going good, he works ahead in the count. When he’s behind, he never gets back into the count because he’s not throwing the ball where he wants to.”

Bauer will start in House’s spot on Tuesday.

Michael Brantley had four hits, including a pair of doubles, and drove in Cleveland’s run.

Victor Martinez drove in three runs for Detroit, taking advantage after Cleveland pitched around Cabrera, helping Alfredo Simon to the win.

Cabrera drew four walks in a game for the first time in his career, three of them intentional. Earlier this season, the two-time AL MVP went 11 for 14 with six RBIs in a three-game series at Cleveland.

“He’s an unusual hitter,” Francona said.

With Cabrera batting third, Martinez was in position to do damage hitting cleanup.

And he did.

Martinez hit a two-run single in the first, after Cabrera’s non-intentional walk. He added an RBI single in the third after Cabrera’s first intentional pass.

Simon (4-0) gave up one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Tom Gorzelanny got Brandon Moss to ground into a double play with two on to end the eighth. Joakim Soria pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Outfielder Nick Swisher was scheduled to be off on Saturday in his rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus from bilateral knee surgery. He played all nine innings Friday night and was 3 for 5. He is scheduled to play all nine innings in right field today.