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 Eugenio Suarez's two-run single and a three-run home run by
Victor Martinez keyed a seven-run rally in the top of the 11th
inning as the Detroit Tigers turned a tie game into a blowout with
an 11-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians Thursday night at
Progressive Field.
Detroit won three of the four games in the series between the two
Central Division rivals. It was a bizarre game in that Cleveland
pitchers, from the second through the 10th innings, pitched nine
scoreless innings on three hits. But in the first and last innings,
Detroit scored 11 runs on nine hits.
"It was definitely a team win," said Detroit manager Brad Ausmus.
"We used quite a few of the guys, some of the call-ups, they all got
a little bit of a taste of what it's like in a tight game in a
pennant race. Hopefully they can use the experience in the next 3
1/2 weeks."
With one out in the top of the 11th, left fielder Rajai Davis drew a
walk from right-hander Josh Tomlin (6-9). Second baseman Ian Kinsler
sliced a bloop single to shallow right field, sending Davis to
third, while Kinsler advanced to second on the throw to third base.
 Center fielder Ezequiel Carrera was intentionally walked to load the
bases. Designated hitter Suarez, who entered the game in the 10th
inning as a pinch runner for Miguel Cabrera, then lined a single to
left, scoring Davis and Kinsler and giving the Tigers a 6-4 lead.
First baseman Martinez hit a line drive over the right-field wall
for a three-run home run, his 29th homer of the year, to make it
9-4. The home run was the sixth of the year by Martinez.
"I was just trying to survive. I went up there like I always do,
just trying to be a tough out and put a good swing on it," said
Martinez.
"My problem was location. Everything I threw was up," said Tomlin.
"My job is to get outs and I didn't do it."
Shortstop Andrew Romine added a two-run single later in the inning
to complete the scoring.
"It's very disappointing," said Indians manager Terry Francona. "We
were down 4-0 before we could even take a breath, and they had (Max)
Scherzer on the mound. That's not a real good formula. In the 11th
we were trying to give up no runs and we gave up seven."
The win went to left-hander Phil Coke (4-2). Trailing 4-0 before
they even picked up a bat in the first inning, the Indians battled
back to eventually tie it at 4-4 in the seventh inning.
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In the sixth inning, with the Indians trailing 4-1, first baseman Carlos
Santana drew a walk from right-hander Scherzer. Second baseman Jason
Kipnis doubled to left field, sending Santana to third. Santana scored
on a groundout by catcher Yan Gomes to make it 4-2. Third baseman Lonnie
Chisenhall followed with a two-out single, scoring Kipnis to cut the
Detroit lead to 4-3.
The Indians tied it with a run against the Tigers bullpen in the seventh
inning. With one out, center fielder Michael Bourn singled off
right-hander Al Alburquerque. Shortstop Jose Ramirez popped out for the
second out, but left fielder Michael Brantley greeted left-hander Blaine
Hardy with a double off the left-field wall, scoring Bourn with the
tying run.
"It was a little bit of a dogfight," said Ausmus. "We jumped out to the
early lead and felt pretty good about it and they fought their way all
the way back. It became a battle to the end."
NOTES: Indians INF/OF Mike Aviles has been diagnosed with a concussion.
Aviles banged his head on the ground while trying to make a diving catch
in right field in Monday's game. The injury was originally diagnosed as
a case of whiplash, but further tests revealed a concussion. ...
Although he has only played in 44 games this year, Indians INF Jose
Ramirez is second in the American League with 10 sacrifice bunts. ...
Tigers OF Torii Hunter was not in the starting lineup Thursday due to a
sore foot, although he did strike out in a pinch-hitting appearance in
the ninth inning. Hunter fouled a pitch off the foot in the first inning
of Wednesday's game.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
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