Ramirez, Indians tee off on Verlander in victory

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Jose Ramirez had the best day of his career. Justin Verlander had one of his worst.

Ramirez was 4 for 4 with a pair of three-run homers for Cleveland, and Verlander matched a career high by allowing nine runs Saturday in the Indians’ 13-6 win over the Detroit Tigers.

“It’s tough to say not to dwell on this, but I’ve been around long enough to know you can’t go getting all depressed over one start,” Verlander said.

Ramirez had a career-high six RBIs with home runs in the first off Verlander (1-1) and in the eighth against Anibal Sanchez. The switch-hitter also had singles in the third and fifth innings.

Ramirez was greeted by a rhythmic chant of his first name from the Progressive Field crowd when he came to bat in the eighth. He responded with his home run and nearly beat Edwin Encarnacion, who was on base on front of him, to home plate.

“Sometimes it makes me laugh, and other times it really motivates me,” Ramirez said through a translator. “It feels really good to have their support and I want to give something back to them for what they have given to me.”

Verlander (1-1) gave up 11 hits in four-plus innings, including home runs by Carlos Santana and Lonnie Chisenhall. The 2011 AL Cy Young Award winner and MVP also gave up nine runs against the Chicago White Sox on April 6, 2008, and versus Texas on May 25, 2014.

Verlander fell to 19-22 against Cleveland, the most losses he has against any team in his career, and is 9-15 at Progressive Field.

Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said Verlander and catcher James McCann changed their signals throughout the game as a precaution against signs being stolen.

“I think it’s kind of one of those things that you just cover your bases, make sure you’re not allowing anybody to do anything,” Verlander said.

In a matchup of aces, Corey Kluber (1-1) struck out eight in 61/3 innings, allowing six runs and eight hits. Verlander finished second to Boston’s Rick Porcello in last year’s AL Cy Young voting and Kluber was third.

Santana had three hits of Cleveland’s 19 hits and four RBIs, including a two-run homer in the second. Chisenhall added two-run drive in the third for the Indians.

Santana drove in two more with a fifth-inning single off Shane Greene, but both runs were charged to Verlander.