|
Detroit
Tigers'
Miguel
Cabrera
hits a
three-run
home run
against
the
Cleveland
Indians
during
the
second
inning
of a
baseball
game in
Detroit,
Tuesday,
Sept.
27,
2016.
(Photo:
Paul
Sancya,
AP) |
|
Tigers
rout
Cleveland
12-0,
pull
within 1
game of
wild
card
By NOAH
TRISTER
ap.org
DETROIT
- Miguel
Cabrera
homered
and
drove in
five
runs in
the
first
two
innings,
and
Justin
Verlander
struck
out 12
to lift
the
Detroit
Tigers
to a
12-0
victory
Tuesday
night
against
a
Cleveland
lineup
full of
backups.
The
Indians
clinched
the AL
Central
title on
Monday
night in
Detroit,
and
their
starting
lineup
Tuesday
was
without
Jason
Kipnis,
Francisco
Lindor,
Mike
Napoli
and Jose
Ramirez.
Detroit
took
full
advantage,
beating
Cleveland
for only
the
third
time all
year and
pulling
within a
game of
Baltimore
for the
American
League's
second
wild
card.
Verlander
(16-8)
went 7
2/3
innings,
allowing
four
hits and
a walk.
Mike
Clevinger
(2-3)
lasted
only two
innings,
allowing
Cabrera's
two-run
double
in the
first
and his
three-run
homer in
the
second.
Justin
Upton
added a
three-run
homer in
the
seventh,
and
Andrew
Romine
hit a
two-run
shot in
the
eighth.
Cleveland
is 14-3
against
Detroit
this
season,
but the
Tigers
did
exactly
what
could be
expected
against
this
unique
version
of the
Indians.
Cabrera's
double
made it
2-0
before
the
Tigers
made a
single
out, and
it was
5-0
after
his
drive
over the
wall in
center
an
inning
later.
Cabrera
now has
35 home
runs and
102 RBIs
on the
season.
Ian
Kinsler
hit an
RBI
single
in the
fourth,
and
Upton's
29th
homer
made it
9-0.
The
Tigers
began
clearing
their
own
bench
late in
the
game.
They
used
five
pinch
hitters
in the
eighth,
and
Romine -
the only
batter
in that
frame
who
wasn't a
pinch
hitter -
had come
on
earlier
as a
defensive
replacement.
His
drive to
right
put the
Tigers
up 12-0.
Detroit
hit for
the
cycle
that
inning
with
consecutive
batters
on a
double
by Nick
Castellanos,
a triple
by Tyler
Collins,
Romine's
homer
and a
single
by
Steven
Moya.
TRAINER'S
ROOM
Tigers:
Castellanos
(left
hand)
was
activated
from the
DL
before
the
game,
and he
flew
back to
Michigan
in time
to in
the
eighth.
He had
been at
the
instructional
league.
UP NEXT
Indians:
Cleveland
might
have its
regulars
back in
the
lineup
Wednesday
night
against
the
Tigers,
but it
could be
another
adventure
on the
mound.
Zach
McAllister
(3-2)
makes
only his
second
start of
the
season.
He has
pitched
51 times
in
relief.
Tigers:
Rookie
Michael
Fulmer
(11-7)
makes
his
final
scheduled
start of
the
season.
He needs
6 1/3
innings
to
qualify
for the
ERA
title.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|