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Kipnis, Jimenez help Indians beat Tigers again

Aug 11, 2011 - 3:10 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Jason Kipnis went 5-for-5, falling a triple short of the cycle, and Ubaldo Jimenez got his first win in an Indians uniform Wednesday as Cleveland cruised to a 10-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Kipnis belted a two-run homer among his three RBI and also scored four times as the Indians scattered 18 hits.

They have taken the first two games of this three-game series to move within two games of Detroit for first place in the AL Central. It was the first time the Indians won back-to-back games since sweeping a doubleheader against Minnesota on July 18.

Jimenez (1-0) pitched eighth innings in his second start with Cleveland since being acquired from Colorado before the non-waiver trade deadline. He allowed three runs on six hits and a walk, striking out six, and earned his first win since July 19.

The Tigers have lost 13 straight games in Cleveland, dating back to the first months of last season. They got two hits from Wilson Betemit, including a two- run double to cap a three-run fourth.

Detroit starter Rick Porcello (11-7) had his six-game personal unbeaten streak snapped with one of the worst outings of his three-year career. He lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up 11 hits and a career high-tying eight earned runs. It was the 22-year-old right-hander's first loss since June 28.

"Both sides needed their starting pitcher to be pretty good tonight. Theirs was and ours had a tough night," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

The Indians won Tuesday's rain-delayed series opener, 3-2, when Kosuke Fukudome was hit by a David Pauley pitch with the bases loaded in the 14th inning. The game ended near 2 a.m. local time and Cleveland used eight pitchers.

Because of Jimenez's outing Wednesday, only one of them -- Frank Herrmann -- was needed again.

"Outstanding pitching performance. He gave us exactly what we needed after what our bullpen went through last night," said Indians manager Manny Acta. "The fact that he could do that against a lineup like that was fantastic."

Kipnis was trying to become the eighth Indians player to hit for the cycle, and first since Travis Hafner on August 14, 2003. In addition to his homer, he had a double and three singles, including one in his final at-bat in the seventh inning.

In the first inning, Kipnis, Hafner and Carlos Santana all hit singles to give Cleveland a 1-0 lead. Lonnie Chisenhall and Ezequiel Carrera both doubled in the second inning and Kipnis' two-run shot deep over the right field wall made it 4-0.

Jimenez didn't give up a hit until the third inning and the Tigers rallied to score three runs with two outs in the fourth. Ryan Raburn hit an RBI triple high off the wall in left-center and Betemit slapped a two-run double to right-center, pulling the Tigers within 4-3.

The Indians then chased Porcello from the game with a four-run fourth inning, taking an 8-3 lead.

Lou Marson sparked the rally with a leadoff double and scored on Kipnis' one- out single. Asdrubal Cabrera added an RBI base hit, then went to third on the play on a throwing error and scored on Porcello's wild pitch. Santana knocked Porcello out with a double and reliever David Pauley surrendered an RBI double to Fukudome for Cleveland's five-run lead.

Kipnis doubled to start a two-run sixth inning that gave the Indians their 10-3 lead. Hafner and Shelley Duncan had RBI singles in the inning.

"I'm happy we won the series," Acta said, "but it's not over yet."

Game Notes

Jimenez got a no-decision in his first start with the Indians, an 8-7 loss to Texas last Friday. He was 6-9 with the Rockies...Tigers left fielder Brennan Boesch exited the game after aggravating his right thumb sprain. Boesch, who struck out swinging in the first inning, was replaced in the field in the bottom of the second by Don Kelly and taken for precautionary x-rays...Before the game, the Tigers outrighted the contract of pitcher David Purcey to Triple-A Toledo.