Final
Scherzer shuts down Indians
Jul 26, 2012 - 4:02 AMVideo
Scherzer (10-5) surrendered just three hits and four walks with eight strikeouts to earn his fourth consecutive winning decision.
Joaquin Benoit fired a scoreless eighth and Jose Valverde worked around a one- out homer from Travis Hafner to nail down his 19th save of the season.
Quintin Berry registered three hits and two RBI, while Austin Jackson scored twice and also knocked in a run for the Tigers, who have won eight of their last 10 games.
"Tonight he just laid the bat on the ball," said Detroit manager Jim Leyland of Berry. "He's just done a heck of a job for us. I like when he stays within himself like that and doesn't try to do too much."
With the win, Detroit kept paced with the Chicago White Sox, who also won on Wednesday, for first place in the American League Central.
Derek Lowe (8-9) absorbed the loss after giving up five runs -- four earned on eight hits and three walks over six frames.
Casey Kotchman clubbed a two-run homer, but the Indians had their brief two- game winning streak snapped.
The Tigers wasted little time getting to Lowe in the first as Jackson, Berry and Miguel Cabrera stroked consecutive singles to start the game.
Cabrera's base hit, a line drive into right field, plated Jackson from second to give the visitors a 1-0 edge.
Alex Avila clubbed a one-out double off the wall in left-center field in the second before the Tigers took advantage of a pair of miscues from Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to plate a pair.
Asdrubal Cabrera's first error allowed Omar Infante to reach base as his throw pulled Kotchman off the first-base bag to put runners on the corners.
Jackson then followed with a grounder to Asdrubal Cabrera, who attempted to start a double play, but his throw was wild, allowing Avila to score.
Berry stepped up next and scorched a single through the left side to plate Infante for a 3-0 Detroit lead.
Cleveland battled back in the third as Johnny Damon led off the frame with a walk and Kotchman followed with a blast over the wall in right-center field to bring the Indians within 3-2.
Lowe struggled with some command issues in the fifth as he walked the first three batters of the frame to load the bases for Prince Fielder, who lofted a sacrifice fly into center field to plate Jackson for a 4-2 lead.
"They're a good lineup," said Lowe of the Tigers. "Any time you have a good lineup, walking the bases loaded is probably not going to get you anywhere positive."
Avila led off the sixth with a single and found himself on third after back- to-back groundouts before Berry ripped a two-out single into left field to extend Detroit's lead to 5-2.
In the ninth, Hafner ripped a 1-0 fastball into the right-field seats to bring the Tribe within two runs, but Valverde got Damon and Kotchman to ground out to complete the victory.
Game Notes
Scherzer improved to 5-4 with in 10 career starts versus the Tribe...Lowe dropped to 7-4 in 31 appearances (12 starts) against the Tigers...Cleveland is now 6-2 against Detroit this season...Cleveland had gone seven consecutive days without being charged an error.
- DETROIT: 5
CLEVELAND: 3
Final
Jul 25 10:04 PM - Johnny Damon grounded out first to pitcher. None on with two outs and Casey Kotchman due up.
Tigers 5, Guardians 3 Bot 9, 2 OutsJul 25 10:04 PM - Quintin Berry single to left scored Alex Avila with two out. Runner on first and Miguel Cabrera due up.
Tigers 5, Guardians 2 Top 6, 2 OutsJul 25 8:51 PM - Prince Fielder sacrifice fly to center scored Austin Jackson with one out. Runners on first and second with Delmon Young due up.
Tigers 4, Guardians 2 Top 5, 1 OutJul 25 8:31 PM - Casey Kotchman none-out, two-run Home Run (10) to right center scored Johnny Damon. Jack Hannahan due up.
Tigers 3, Guardians 2 Bot 3, 0 OutsJul 25 7:52 PM - Quintin Berry single to left scored Omar Infante with one out. On the play, Austin Jackson advances to third. Runners on first and third with Miguel Cabrera due up.
Tigers 3, Guardians 0 Top 2, 1 OutJul 25 7:38 PM - Austin Jackson reached on a fielder's choice to short scoring Alex Avila with one out. On the play, Austin Jackson advances to second on Asdrubal Cabrera's throwing error and Omar Infante advances to third. Runners on second and third with Quintin Berry due up.
Tigers 2, Guardians 0 Top 2, 1 OutJul 25 7:37 PM - Miguel Cabrera single to right scored Austin Jackson with none out. On the play, Quintin Berry advances to third and Miguel Cabrera thrown our at second. Runner on third with one out and Prince Fielder due up.
Tigers 1, Guardians 0 Top 1, 1 OutJul 25 7:13 PM - DETROIT: 0
CLEVELAND: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Jul 25 7:07 PM
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