Tigers 5, Indians 3: Anibal Sanchez didn't allow a hit until Carlos Santana's two-out triple in the seventh inning and Alex Avila had three hits and two RBIs as visiting Detroit stayed within one game of the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central race.
Sanchez (3-5) saw his no-hit bid end when center fielder Austin Jackson couldn't get to Santana's deep fly ball, which caromed off the wall for a triple. Russ Canzler followed with an RBI double and Lonnie Chisenhall added a run-scoring single to end Sanchez's day. He was charged with two runs on three hits and struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings in his fifth consecutive quality start.
The Tigers had a run wiped off the board in the fifth. After Quintin Berry's single appeared to score Avila and make it 5-0, the Indians appealed and Avila was called out for missing third base, ending the inning. Miguel Cabrera put the run back on the board in the seventh with his team-leading 37th home run for the Tigers, who have won four straight.
Indians starter Justin Masterson (11-14) allowed four runs (two earned) in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked four, dropping to 2-6 all-time against Detroit.
Asdrubal Cabrera went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in his return to the lineup after missing five games with a sprained right wrist. Cleveland is 16-45 since the All-Star break and 10-33 since the beginning of August.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Tigers lead the season series 10-7 and have won six of eight meetings at Progressive Field. … Sanchez threw a no-hitter against Arizona while pitching for the Marlins as a rookie in 2006. … Two of Sanchez's three wins since joining Detroit have come against the Indians.
Detroit | Cleveland | |
Anibal Sanchez | Player | Justin Masterson |
Win | W/L | Loss |
6.2 | IP | 4.2 |
7 | Strikeouts | 8 |
3 | Hits | 6 |
2.70 | ERA | 3.86 |
Detroit | Cleveland | |
Alex Avila | Player | Cord Phelps |
3 | Hits | 1 |
2 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
4 | TB | 1 |
.750 | Avg | .333 |