9TH-INNING HEROICS FALL SHORT OF WIN

Chisenhall’s grand slam pulls Indians back into game, but time runs out on big rally

Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning after being brushed back in the first, and the Detroit Tigers beat Cleveland, 7-6, on Friday night, sending the defending AL champion Indians to their sixth loss in seven games.

Lonnie Chisenhall crushed a grand slam in the ninth inning to pull the Indians back from a 7-2 deficit, but the rally fizzled after that.

Tensions mounted three batters into the game when Cabrera yelled and gestured at the Indians dugout after an inside pitch from Trevor Bauer. Cabrera shouted at the dugout again when the inning ended, resulting in warnings to

both teams.

Cabrera responded in the fifth by lining a 1-1 pitch from Bauer (0-2) into the right-field seats to give Detroit a 4-0 lead. Cabrera, who was booed after the incident,

slowly trotted around the bases.

Alex Avila added a tworun homer in the sixth for Detroit, which played its first night game of the season.

Daniel Norris (1-1) allowed two hits in six scoreless innings.

The Indians scored a single run in the eighth.

Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Ramirez singled. After Yandy Diaz lined out, Abraham

Almonte walked.

Roberto Perez brought Encarnacion home by grounding out to second.

With the Indians trailing 7-1 in the ninth, Francisco Lindor continued his eight-game hitting streak with a double. After Brandon Guyer was hit on the left knee by a pitch, Ramirez singled to right. Diaz then got his first career RBI by singling to center. Pinch hitter Chisenhall then greeted reliever Francisco Rodriguez with a grand slam to right.

But Austin Jackson struck out to end the game.

TONY DEJAK — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Tigers’ Jose Iglesias can’t reach second base as the Indians’ Austin Jackson is safe on a force play in the seventh inning.

TONY DEJAK — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Indians’ Edwin Encarnacion watches his single off Tigers starting pitcher Daniel Norris in the fourth inning.

TONY DEJAK — ASSOCIATED PRESS Roberto Perez grounds out against Tigers reliever Justin Wilson on April 14. Edwin Encarnacion scored on the play.