Final
Brantley homers twice as Indians beat Tigers 7-5
Sep 11, 2015 - 4:13 AM CLEVELAND (AP) A pair of home runs and two overturned calls at the plate helped the Cleveland Indians gain ground in the AL wild-card race Thursday night.Michael Brantley homered twice, including a tiebreaking, two-run drive in the eighth inning of a 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
The overturned calls, the second denying Detroit the apparent go-ahead run in the seventh, played a major role.
''That's huge,'' said Indians manager Terry Francona, who also was successful on a second-inning challenge. ''I don't remember that happening, but I'm glad it did.''
Brantley, second in the AL with a .319 average, broke a 3-all tie with a leadoff homer in the seventh. Cleveland added a run, but Detroit tied it with two in the eighth.
With the score 5-5, Francisco Lindor walked on a 3-2 pitch with two outs against Blaine Hardy (4-3), and Brantley homered into the right-field seats.
''It feels great, but it's a team win,'' Brantley said. ''The team gives you those opportunities to get back up to the plate. That's why you take one at-bat at a time.''
Cody Allen (2-4) pitched 1 2-3 innings and struck out AL hitting leader Miguel Cabrera (.349) to end the game.
With their sixth straight home win, the Indians closed within four games of Texas for the AL's second wild card. Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels are between the Rangers and Indians in the wild-card race.
Detroit tied the game in the eighth on Nick Castellanos' RBI double off Bryan Shaw and Andrew Romine's single against Allen.
Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall had three assists, throwing out two runners at the plate. He became the first outfielder with three assists in a game since Kansas City's Mark Teahen in 2007.
Chisenhall also played a role in the overturned calls. Anthony Gose's second-inning single with runners on first and second put Detroit ahead. Chisnehall's throw from right field was cut off, which resulted in Gose getting in a rundown.
As the rundown dragged on, Chisnehall came in from the outfield, tagged Gose near second base and threw home, where Romine originally was called safe. The call was overturned and the resulting double play was scored 9-3-6-4-9-2.
With the Indians leading 3-2 and runners on second and third in the seventh, Kinsler lined a single to right for his 1,500th hit. Romine scored, and plate umpire Ed Hickcox ruled Gose beat Chisenhall's throw before that call was overturned.
Gose's second-inning single gave Detroit the lead, but Abraham Almonte's fourth-inning homer tied the score. Giovanny Urshela's two-run double put Cleveland ahead in the sixth.
Detroit starter Alfredo Simon, who was 4-0 against Cleveland this season, allowed five runs, five hits and three walks in 6 2-3 innings.
''Simon started out pitching well, but they caught up to him later,'' Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. ''He's had really good success against the Cleveland Indians, which is why I stuck with him.''
Danny Salazar gave up three runs, seven hits and three walks in 6 1-3 innings.
IN A GOOD SPOT
The Indians were a season-low 10 games under .500 (49-59) on Aug. 7. Thursday's win moved them to 69-70 and a victory Friday would get Cleveland to .500 for the first time since the fourth game of the season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (strained right hamstring) is scheduled for a bullpen session Friday. Kluber, last season's AL Cy Young Award winner, played catch and did agility drills Thursday. He has not pitched since Aug. 29.
Tigers: All-Star SS Jose Iglesias (broken right middle finger) did not travel with the team on its seven-game trip to Cleveland and Minnesota. He will be re-evaluated in Detroit on Sept. 17.
UP NEXT
Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander makes his 24th career start in Cleveland, where he is 9-12 with a 5.35 ERA. He is 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA against the Indians this year.
Indians: RHP Cody Anderson pitches against Detroit for the second time this month. The rookie threw seven scoreless innings and earned a 4-0 victory at Comerica Park on Sept. 6.
- DETROIT: 5
CLEVELAND: 7
Final
Sep 10 10:22 PM - Brantley homered to right on a full count, Lindor scored.
Tigers 5, Guardians 7 Bot 8, 2 OutsSep 10 10:15 PM - Michael Brantley homers to right field. Francisco Lindor scores.
Tigers 9, Guardians 7 Bot 8, 2 OutsSep 10 10:14 PM - Romine singled to left, V.Martinez scored, Castellanos to third.
Tigers 5, Guardians 5 Top 8, 2 OutsSep 10 9:58 PM - Andrew Romine singles to shallow center field. Nick Castellanos to third. Victor Martinez scores.
Tigers 9, Guardians 5 Top 8, 2 OutsSep 10 9:57 PM - Castellanos doubled to center, J.Martinez scored, V.Martinez to third.
Tigers 4, Guardians 5 Top 8, 1 OutSep 10 9:50 PM - Nick Castellanos doubles to deep left center field. Victor Martinez to third. J.D. Martinez scores.
Tigers 8, Guardians 5 Top 8, 1 OutSep 10 9:49 PM - Yan Gomes singles to deep left field. Lonnie Chisenhall scores.
Tigers 7, Guardians 5 Bot 7, 2 OutsSep 10 9:37 PM - Kinsler singled to right, Romine scored, Gose to third.
Tigers 3, Guardians 3 Top 7, 2 OutsSep 10 9:30 PM - Ian Kinsler singles to right center field. Anthony Gose out at home. Andrew Romine scores.
Tigers 7, Guardians 3 Top 7, 2 OutsSep 10 9:29 PM - Kinsler singled to right, Romine scored, Gose scored.
Tigers 4, Guardians 3 Top 7, 2 OutsSep 10 9:26 PM - Rajai Davis pops out to shallow right field to Jose Ramirez.
Tigers 4, Guardians 3 Top 7, 1 OutSep 10 9:25 PM - On B.Shaw's wild pitch, J.McCann scored, Romine to third, Gose to second.
Tigers 2, Guardians 3 Top 7, 1 OutSep 10 9:23 PM - Urshela doubled to center, A.Almonte scored, J.Ramirez scored.
Tigers 1, Guardians 3 Bot 6, 1 OutSep 10 9:07 PM - Giovanny Urshela doubles to deep left center field. Jose Ramirez scores. Abraham Almonte scores.
Tigers 3, Guardians 3 Bot 6, 1 OutSep 10 9:06 PM - Gose singled to right, J.McCann scored, Romine to third.
Tigers 1, Guardians 0 Top 2, 1 OutSep 10 7:54 PM - Gose singled to right, J.McCann scored, Romine to third.
Tigers 1, Guardians 0 Top 2, 1 OutSep 10 7:52 PM - Anthony Gose singles to shallow center field, tagged out at second, Lonnie Chisenhall to Carlos Santana to Francisco Lindor to Jose Ramirez to Lonnie Chisenhall. Andrew Romine out at home. James McCann scores.
Tigers 3, Guardians 0 Top 2, 2 OutsSep 10 7:48 PM - Gose was out advancing, right fielder Chisenhall to first baseman C.Santana to shortstop Lindor to right fielder Chisenhall, Romine scored, Gose out.
Tigers 2, Guardians 0 Top 2, 2 OutsSep 10 7:46 PM - Gose singled to right, J.McCann scored, Romine to third.
Tigers 1, Guardians 0 Top 2, 1 OutSep 10 7:46 PM
Sep 10 7:14 PM- DETROIT: 0
CLEVELAND: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Sep 10 7:12 PM
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