Tigers lose first of two against Indians
Francisco Lindor hit a DETROIT tie-breaking single in the ninth inning and the Cleveland Indians won their eighth in a row Friday, a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.
Detroit was playing for the first time since sending Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros and Justin Upton to the Los Angeles Angels at the waiver trade deadline.
With the score tied at 2, Jay Bruce hit a pinch-hit triple off Shane Greene (3-3) with one out in the ninth. Francisco Lindor hit an RBI single through the drawn-in infield, but Greene retired the next two batters.
Cody Allen (2-6) allowed the tying run in the eighth, and the Tigers loaded the bases with two out in the ninth. Joe Smith came out of the bullpen and retired Miguel Cabrera for his first save of the year.
Carlos Carrasco gave up one run on six hits in seven innings, striking out eight without walking a batter. Tigers starter Matt Boyd allowed one run on five hits in five innings.
Cleveland took the lead with three straight one-out singles in the fifth. Brandon Guyer was ruled safe on an infield hit after a replay review, moved to second on Yan Gomes’ base hit and scored on a hit by Giovanny Urshela. Boyd walked Lindor to load the bases, but struck out Austin Jackson and retired Jose Ramirez to end the inning.
Detroit, though, came back in the bottom of the inning. With two out, James McCann and JaCoby Jones singled before Jose Iglesias tied the score with an RBI double.
Edwin Encarnacion led off the sixth with a homer off Drew VerHagen, his 32nd of the season, to give the Indians a 2-1 lead.
The Tigers put runners on the corners with two out in the eighth. Allen replaced Bryan Shaw and fooled Mikie Mahtook on a 1-2 curve, but his slow roller to short turned into a game-tying infield single.