The Sports Xchange
Jul 1, 2017
DETROIT -- Jose Ramirez's two-run homer capped a four-run sixth inning and the Cleveland Indians salvaged the second game of a day-night doubleheader with a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night at Comerica Park.
Michael Brantley and Edwin Encarnacion drove in the other runs for the American League Central Division leading Indians (43-37).
Carlos Carrasco (9-3) held the Tigers (36-44) to one run on four hits over seven innings. Carrasco bounced back from an outing in which he gave up eight earned runs in 3 1/3 innings against Texas on Monday. Andrew Miller recorded his second save.
Detroit starter Jordan Zimmermann (5-6) gave up four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He held Cleveland to one hit prior to the sixth. Mikie Mahtook had two hits and drove in Detroit's run.
The Tigers won the opener 7-4, breaking a 4-4 tie with three runs in the seventh. Nicholas Castellanos had three hits, including a go-ahead triple in the seventh, while J.D. Martinez and Miguel Cabrera hit back-to-back homers for Detroit. Shane Greene (2-2) recorded one out and got the victory and Justin Wilson notched his eighth save. Losing pitcher Bryan Shaw (2-3) allowed three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Roberto Perez led off Cleveland's big sixth inning in the nightcap with a single and Jason Kipnis followed with a double. Brantley's RBI groundout brought in the first run and Encarnacion's bloop single knocked in the second run. Ramirez then crushed the next offering into the right-field stands, making it 4-1 and ending Zimmermann's night.
The Tigers grabbed the early lead in the second inning. Castellanos led off with a double and one out later, Mahtook brought him home. Mahtook checked his swing and he made enough contact to bloop the ball over second baseman Jason Kipnis for a single.
Carlos Santana had some words for Zimmermann after getting hit in the back with a pitch in the fifth inning. No one was ejected.
A trio of Tigers batters were hit by pitches during the doubleheader prior to Santana getting plunked. Bradley Zimmer hit into a double play to end that frame.
NOTES: Detroit LF Justin Upton missed both games of the doubleheader because of right side soreness. Upton was a late scratch in the opener after feeling discomfort in the batting cage. Upton leads the club in homers (15) and RBIs (52). ... The Tigers haven't swept a doubleheader from the Indians since Aug. 7, 1986. ... Cleveland is 36-10 when scoring four or more runs. ... Indians 3B Jose Ramirez stretched his road hitting streak to 14 games with his sixth-inning home run. ... Detroit ace RHP Justin Verlander (5-4, 4.47 ERA) opposes RHP Mike Clevinger (3-3, 3.56) in Sunday afternoon's series finale.