Detroit 8, Cleveland 4
When: 4:10 PM ET, Friday, April 10, 2015
Where: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
Temperature:
53°
Umpires:
Home -
Lance Barrett, 1B -
Dale Scott, 2B -
Dan Iassogna, 3B -
CB Bucknor
Attendance:
35789
By The Sports Xchange
CLEVELAND -- The rampaging Detroit Tigers exploded for 18 hits in rolling to an 8-4 victory over Cleveland before a sellout crowd in the Indians' home opener at Progressive Field on Friday.
Third baseman Nick Castellanos belted a two-run home run and four other Tigers had three hits as Detroit extended its season-opening winning streak to four games. Right-hander Alfredo Simon (1-0) pitched into the sixth inning to get the win. Right-hander Joakim Soria got the last out of the game for his first save.
After sweeping a three-game series from Minnesota to open the season, the Tigers led from wire-to-wire over the Indians. In their four games this season Detroit has outscored its opponents 30-5 and out-hit them 53-24.
The Tigers did most of the damage against Indians right-hander Zach McAllister, who started but only lasted four innings. McAllister (0-1) gave up five runs on 13 hits.
Detroit took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a single by Castellanos, whose popup into shallow left field was not caught as Indians left fielder Michael Brantley and shortstop Jose Ramirez ran into each other. Castellanos scored on a two-out single by center fielder Anthony Gose.
In the top of the fourth, McAllister walked catcher Alex Avila to start the inning. Avila went to second on a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Jose Iglesias and scored on a single by first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Designated hitter Victor Martinez's two-out RBI single later in the inning extended the Tigers' lead to 3-0.
Detroit made it 5-0 when left fielder Yoenis Cespedes led off the fifth inning with a double to right field then rode home on an opposite field home run over the right field fence by Castellanos.
Simon breezed through the Cleveland lineup through the first five innings, holding the Indians scoreless on two singles. But the Indians rallied for five consecutive hits and three runs in the sixth inning, knocking Simon out of the game.
With one out, center fielder Michael Bourn singled and went to third on a single by second baseman Jason Kipnis. Left fielder Michael Brantley slapped a double down the left field line scoring Bourn and sending Kipnis to third.
First baseman Carlos Santana singled to right, scoring Kipnis, and designated hitter Brandon Moss snapped his 0-for-12 season-opening hitless streak with a single to right, scoring Brantley and cutting the Detroit lead to 5-3.
Detroit answered with a three-run seventh inning to make it 8-5. Cespedes led off with a single off left-hander Kyle Crockett. Cespedes took second on a flyout to center, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield single by Iglesias.
Iglesias scored on a three-base throwing error by left-hander Marc Rzepczynski, and second baseman Ian Kinsler's double off right-hander Bryan Shaw scored Kinsler to give the Tigers an 8-3 lead.
An RBI double by Santana in the eighth inning drove in Cleveland's final run.
NOTES: Indians OF Michael Brantley was back in the lineup Friday after sitting out the previous two games with a sore lower back. ... The Indians purchased the contract of 1B/OF Jerry Sands from Triple-A Columbus. To make room on the roster, RHP Austin Adams was optioned to Columbus. ... The Indians transferred RHP Josh Tomlin (shoulder surgery) from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL.
Top Game Performances
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
Detroit
|
18 |
1 |
24 |
.419 |
22 |
9 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
Cleveland
|
10 |
0 |
12 |
.294 |
15 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |