Tigers 7, Indians 3
CLEVELAND -- Yoenis Cespedes and Nick Castellanos had the big hits in a six-run fifth inning while David Price continued his domination of the Cleveland Indians as the Detroit Tigers beat Cleveland 7-3 Tuesday night at Progressive Field.
Price (7-2) pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run on nine hits, with seven strikeouts and no walks
With the win Detroit is now 9-2 vs. Cleveland this season. Since the start of the 2013 season the Tigers are 35-14 vs. the Indians, and Detroit has won 16 of the last 19 meetings. The slumping Indians have an American League-worst home record of 14-23.
This game was close for four innings, but the Tigers blew open a 1-1 game with a six-run fifth inning, all of the runs coming against right-hander Danny Salazar (6-3). Left fielder Cespedes and third baseman Castellanos both belted two-run doubles in that rally.
Cleveland scored its only run in the third inning. In his three starts vs. Cleveland this season Price is 2-0 with a 0.42 ERA, having allowed one run in 21 1/3 innings, with 21 strikeouts and three walks. In 12 career starts vs. the Indians Price is 9-1 with a 2.04 ERA.
Shortstop Andrew Romine homered and had two hits for Detroit, while first baseman Miguel Cabrera and designated hitter Victor Martinez also had two hits each.
Trailing 7-1, Cleveland scored two runs in the ninth inning off right-hander Josh Wilson, with one of the runs coming on an RBI double by second baseman Jason Kipnis, who had four hits while extending his hitting streak to 18 games.
Price was making his third start against Cleveland this season, and he dominated the Indians in the first two, pitching 14 2/3 scoreless innings, including a complete-game 4-0 shutout in Detroit on June 12.
Detroit took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning off Salazar. Romine led off the inning with a home run over the right-field wall, his second homer of the season, giving Detroit a 1-0 lead.
Cleveland tied it in the bottom of the third, which began with a double to right field by catcher Roberto Perez. Kipnis reached on an infield single, moving Perez to third, and he then scored on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Besides the career-high 18-game hitting streak, Kipnis also has a 27-game home hitting streak, the longest home hitting streak by an Indians player since Miguel Dilone hit in 27 consecutive home games in 1980.
Detroit blew the game open with a six-run fifth inning, helped by an error by Salazar. Romine led off with a double, and the next two batters, right fielder Rajai Davis and second baseman Ian Kinsler, drew walks, loading the bases with one out.
Cabrera hit a dribbler back to the mound. Salazar fielded it, but dropped it as he attempted to throw home to start what could have been an inning-ending double play. Instead, the error allowed Romine to score, giving Detroit a 2-1 lead before the onslaught continued.
Victor Martinez followed with an RBI single, and Cespedes also singled, scoring Kinsler and Cabrera to make it 5-1.
Salazar was relieved by right-hander Zach McAllister following Cespedes' hit. In 4 1/3 innings, Salazar (6-3) gave up seven runs, six earned, on six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Castellanos hit McAllister's first pitch into the right-field corner for a double, scoring Martinez and Cespedes, and giving the Tigers had a 7-1 lead.
NOTES: RHP Scott Atchison was designated for assignment by the Indians. His roster spot was taken by RHP Austin Adams, who was recalled from Triple-A Columbus. ... 2B Jason Kipnis had 94 hits in the Indians' first 69 games. That's the most hits in the team's first 69 games since Carlos Baerga had 96 in the first 69 games in 1995. Kipnis added four hits Tuesday. ... Tigers OF J.D. Martinez was not in the lineup Tuesday, mostly because of his poor career numbers against Indians RHP Danny Salazar. Martinez had a career average of .111 (1-for-9) with seven strikeouts against Salazar.