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 Cabrera finished with four hits, and Renteria's fifth-inning slam capped Detroit's offensive outburst against Sabathia (0-3), who has a 13.50 ERA after four outings. That's one big reason for Cleveland's slow start
-- the Indians (5-10) have lost three straight and eight of 11.
With newcomers Renteria and Cabrera finding their strokes, Detroit's loaded lineup has broken loose after an early slump. The Tigers have scored 30 runs while winning their past three games following a 2-10 start.
After failing in two starts during the 2007 AL championship series against Boston, then opening this year with three poor performances, Sabathia was looking to get untracked against the Tigers, Cleveland's AL Central rival.
Instead, he was soundly booed as he walked slowly to the dugout after giving up nine runs, eight hits and five walks over four-plus innings. The Indians lost for the sixth time in seven games.
Sabathia, who can become a free agent after this season, has walked 14 and yielded 32 hits in 18 innings. A year ago, he walked only 37 in 241 innings while going 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA to win the AL Cy Young Award.
In his past two starts, Sabathia has yielded 20 hits and 18 runs in only 7 1-3 innings.
Armando Galarraga (1-0) gave up two runs and only one hit over 6 2-3 innings in his Detroit debut. Acquired from Texas in a February trade, the right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday after right-hander Francis Beltran was designated for assignment.
David Dellucci's first-inning homer put Cleveland ahead 1-0. Galarraga, who struck out six, then retired 16 straight before hitting pinch-hitter Jamey Carroll and Kelly Shoppach with pitches to open the seventh.
Meanwhile, Sabathia tried everything, but couldn't command his fastball, curve or changeup. He walked Magglio Ordonez on four pitches to open the second and gave up Cabrera's third homer to fall behind 2-1.
In the third, Placido Polanco, hitting .149, drove a leadoff double high off the wall in left. Two outs later, Cabrera's sharp single made it 3-1.
When Carlos Guillen grounded out to end the third, Sabathia yelled obscenities at himself as he stomped off the mound.
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Cleveland fans screamed plenty during Detroit's seven-run fifth as Sabathia failed to get an out. He walked the bases loaded, and Cabrera's two-run single made it 5-1. Guillen's single then reloaded the bases for Renteria, who hit a first-pitch, down-the-middle fastball for his fifth career grand slam.
The first out of the Tigers' sixth finally came on the 49th pitch -- a strikeout of Ivan Rodriguez by reliever Tom Mastny, who had yielded a single and double to the first two batters he faced.
Polanco then grounded to shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who threw home. But catcher Victor Martinez failed to tag Marcus Thames, instead stepping on the plate because he thought the bases were loaded and he could get a forceout. Thames scored as Martinez threw to third to at least get an out.
Mastny walked the bases loaded in the sixth and was replaced by Craig Breslow, whose two-out walk to Brandon Inge made it 11-1.
Notes: Detroit totaled 17 hits and nine walks. ... Indians OF Grady Sizemore was presented with his 2007 Gold Glove before the game. ... Former Indians INF Carlos Baerga threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... Hall of Famer Bob Feller, 89, celebrated the 68th anniversary of his opening day no-hitter for the Indians in 1940 in Chicago. ... Tigers OF Curtis Granderson, sidelined all season with a broken bone in his right hand, took batting practice for the second time and said he hoped to start a rehab assignment in the minors this weekend.
[Associated Press]
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