Indians pound Verlander

Associated Press

DETROIT

Terry Francona did something Sunday at Comerica Park that he rarely gets to do. He relaxed while sitting in the visiting manager’s office.

The Cleveland Indians had just beaten the Tigers 9-3, winning their ninth straight game and improving to 9-0 against Detroit this season.

“I’ve spent a lot of long nights in this office, trying to figure how to regroup after getting beat up yet again by that team,” Francona said. “I can’t entirely explain this, but it feels good.”

The Indians roughed up a pitcher Francona has great respect for — Justin Verlander. They homered four times off him in a six-run fifth inning to take control of the game.

“Everyone knows how well he is throwing the ball, and early on today, he was throwing free and easy,” Francona said. “He just left a few pitches up in the fifth and we took advantage of all of them.”

Lonnie Chisenhall had four hits, including one of the four homers off Verlander. Juan Uribe, Tyler Naquin and Mike Napoli also went deep for the Indians.

Chisenhall was 4 for 4 with a triple and three RBIs.

Mike Tomlin (9-1) beat Verlander for the third time this year, allowing three runs and six hits in eight innings.

“That feels great, because he’s an established star in this league,” Tomlin said. “But I can’t focus on who I’m pitching against, especially when I have to worry about the guys in this lineup.”

Cleveland overcame three homers by former teammates, including two by Victor Martinez, to sweep Detroit for the third time this year. The Indians have outscored the Tigers 60-20 in nine games.

The Tigers kept their clubhouse closed for an unusually long time after the game, but manager Brad Ausmus declined to say whether he held a team meeting. Detroit trails first-place Cleveland by seven games in the AL Central.

“They just have our number right now,” Ausmus said. “There’s no other way to explain it.”

Only once before had Verlander allowed four homers in a start — also against the Indians in 2007. According to the Elias Sports Bureau and Fox Sports Detroit, he became the first pitcher in franchise history to give up four in one inning.

Verlander (7-6) allowed eight runs on nine hits and two walks in 42/3 innings. It was the 15th time a Tigers starter gave up at least six runs this season, most in the American League and one behind San Diego.

“I started off all right today, but then it all fell apart in that one inning,” Verlander said. “I’ve worked my tail off for the last month and a half to get back where I wanted to be, and then it all blows up in one start.”

Verlander wouldn’t say whether Ausmus had talked to the team, but pointed out that it shouldn’t be needed.

“We’re all professionals here,” the pitcher said. “We know what we have to do.”