Collins' homer helps Tigers defeat Indians
DETROIT -- Daniel Norris allowed one run in six innings, Tyler Collins hit a three-run home run, and Alex Avila added a two-run single Monday night to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 7-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
Norris (2-2), whose only other win this season was also over Cleveland, gave up five hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.
Alex Wilson worked a scoreless seventh, and Anibal Sanchez finished with two scoreless innings to make it seven in a row without a run for the Tigers' bullpen, which entered the week worst in the league in ERA.
Avila lined reliever Zach McAllister's first pitch into left center for a two-run single in the fifth, pushing Detroit to a 7-1 lead. Victor Martinez beat the shift with a bunt single to the vacated third base spot to start the inning and stopped at third on Justin Upton's double to left-center, which chased Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer.
Bauer (2-3) allowed seven runs on seven hits with five walks and three strikeouts in four-plus innings.
Edwin Encarnacion trimmed the Tigers' lead to 5-1 in the third with an RBI single to left after Francisco Lindor singled to center and Michael Brantley walked.
Collins slammed a three-run home run off Bauer in the second to boost Detroit's lead to 5-0. Jose Iglesias walked with one out and Ian Kinsler singled to right before Collins hit his second home run of the season, a drive to deep right center over the tall scoreboard wall.
Collins walked with one out in the first and scored from first on a double to right center by Nick Castellanos, who scored in turn on a next-pitch double by Victor Martinez to give the Tigers a 2-0 start.
NOTES: Detroit called up LHP Chad Bell and optioned RHP Joe Jimenez to Triple-A Toledo, where he can sharpen his slider. Bell will work long relief. ... Cleveland finished above .500 (14-10) after April for the first time since 2012. ... The Tigers anticipate activating 1B Miguel Cabrera (groin) when he is eligible to come off the disabled list Tuesday. ... Indians 2B Jason Kipnis is hitting just .191 in nine games since coming off the disabled list but manager Terry Francona feels "he's like one good swing away" from getting back on track. Kipnis didn't play Monday.