Indians 13, Tigers 1
DETROIT -- Brandon Moss drove in seven runs -- five with a pair of home runs plus two with a double -- and Danny Salazar struck out a career-best 11 batters in seven innings Friday night to help the Cleveland Indians overpower Detroit, 13-1, and hand the skidding Tigers their fourth straight loss.
The right-handed Salazar (2-0) allowed six hits and walked three in his second start since being recalled from the minors. Right-handers Scott Atchison and Anthony Swarzak worked the eighth and ninth, respectively.
Detroit reliever Al Alburquerque gave up a pair of two-run home runs, one to third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall in the eighth and Moss’ second home run of the game in the ninth.
Detroit scored 25 runs in a three-game sweep of Cleveland April 10-12 but has scored just 31 in 11 games since.
The Indians packed their lineup with left-handers against right-hander Shane Greene (3-1) and southpaws are now swinging at a .285 (61-for-214) clip off him.
Greene retired the first two batters he faced on comebackers but gave up a single, a walk and then a two-run double to Indians right fielder Moss to stake Salazar to a 2-0 lead.
A double in the second plus a sacrifice and sacrifice fly by shortstop Jose Ramirez made it 3-0.
Detroit third baseman Nick Castellanos knocked the margin down to 3-1 with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, but Cleveland torched Greene for five runs in the fifth to knock him out without retiring a batter.
Ramirez singled, center fielder Michael Bourn walked, second baseman Jason Kipnis bunted for a single, left fielder Michael Brantley singled in one run and first baseman Carlos Santana doubled home two.
Newly recalled right-hander Alex Wilson was greeted by Moss' three-run home run on his first pitch. It was the second home run this year for Moss.
NOTES: INF/OF Zach Walters (right oblique strain) was activated off Cleveland's disabled list Friday and optioned to Triple-A Columbus, where he was two games into a rehab assignment. ... Cleveland 1B/OF Nick Swisher (knee surgery) was to begin a rehab assignment with Columbus. "We'll see where he is Monday and map out a plan then," manager Terry Francona said. ... Tigers manager Brad Ausmus and several players went to watch the Detroit Red Wings' playoff game Thursday after the Tigers' 2-1 loss to the New York Yankees. The Red Wings were ahead 2-0 late in the third period when Ausmus left but eventually dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning. "Plenty of other people were leaving with seven minutes to go," Ausmus said, "so don't try to blame it on me."