Sweep extends Detroit’s run of futility in Cleveland
Lindor and Ramirez tee off on Tigers’ pitching to pace Tribe’s 9-3 victory
Francisco Lindor hit a CLEVELAND leadoff homer and drove in three runs, helping the Cleveland Indians beat Detroit 9-3 Thursday night for their 11th consecutive victory against the Tigers. The Indians completed a fourgame series sweep and improved to 31-10 against their AL Central rival since 2016. Jose Ramirez hit a two-run homer and Trevor Bauer (1-1) struck out seven, while pitching seven innings of two-run ball. Lindor, who entered the night batting .184 with one RBI, hit his fourth career leadoff homer off Michael Fulmer (1-2). He added a two-run double in the second and also scored three of Cleveland’s season-high nine runs. Jason Kipnis and Bradley Zimmer each had three hits for the Indians. Kipnis added two RBIs and Zimmer robbed Dixon Machado of an extra-base hit with a diving catch in the seventh.
The Tigers committed three errors in the first four innings, compounding a poor outing by Fulmer. The right-hander was charged with a career-high nine runs, six earned, in three-plus innings. Leonys Martin posted his second consecutive three-hit game for Detroit and scored twice. Nicholas Castellanos delivered a pair of RBI singles.
The Tigers have lost 17 of their last 22 games at Progressive Field. Tigers pitching coach Chris Bosio, who fell ill during the series opener, will be away from the team for several weeks with an undisclosed medical condition. The first-pitch temperature was 74 F, more than doubling the 33 F conditions the teams played in Monday.
ZIMMERMANN FEELS GOOD TO GO
Tigers pitcher Jordan Zimmermann is expected to make his next start after being hit on the jaw by a line drive Wednesday. Zimmermann said Thursday the swelling in his jaw had gone down, he didn’t have a headache and planned on beginning his usual routine between starts. The righthander’s next scheduled start would be Tuesday against Baltimore. Zimmermann, who was in uniform Thursday, sustained the bruise when he was struck by a line drive hit by Kipnis, the second batter in the first inning. Zimmermann was down for several minutes before walking off the field. He passed the concussion protocol test and was taken for X-rays. “He’s ready to go, which is pretty amazing,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He’s a very lucky man.” Zimmermann had his jaw broken on a line drive while pitching in college in 2007. Doctors inserted 11 screws and several plates.
MAKING HISTORY
Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera singled in the seventh, tying hall of famer Jimmie Foxx for 78th place with 2,646 career hits. Next up for Cabrera is Ted Williams with 2,654.
UP NEXT
Tigers: RHP Mike Fiers (1-0, 0.00 ERA) takes on Yankees LHP Jordan Montgomery (0-0, 4.82 ERA) in the opener of a three-game series at Comerica Park.
Indians: RHP Mike Clevinger (1-0, 0.71 ERA), who has never started a game against Toronto, faces Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (0-1, 8.38 ERA).