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Tigers tame Tribe in rain-shortened affair

Aug 31, 2013 - 5:05 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Miguel Cabrera's chase for a second consecutive Triple Crown has been put on a temporary hiatus.

His Detroit Tigers, though, continue to make huge strides toward another AL Central Division title.

Victor Martinez smacked a two-run double among his two hits in the Tigers' 7-2 win over the Cleveland Indians in a rain-shortened, seven-inning opener of a three-game set.

The AL MVP frontrunner Cabrera exited his second consecutive game Friday due to what the team is calling "irritation of the abdominal area." He is listed as day-to-day. He leads the majors with a .359 average and 130 RBI and his 43 home runs are four behind Baltimore's Chris Davis.

The Tigers put themselves in prime position in the division after sweeping a four-game set against the Tribe at Progressive Field earlier this month. Friday's win put Detroit 7 1/2 games ahead of second-place Cleveland.

Cabrera also left Thursday's series finale against the Oakland Athletics. Cabrera came up lame when he was trying to leg out a double with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. He limped off the field.

The 30-year-old, who struck out in his only at-bat Friday, left in the third inning. He was replaced at third base by Don Kelly. Kelly had originally started in left field. Andy Dirks hopped off the bench to take over the reigns for Kelly in left.

"All I can tell you is when you pull a guy out one night, normally he doesn't start the next day. I don't have any idea. I don't really know. I just have to play it by ear, see what happens," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of Cabrera's status.

Rick Porcello (11-7) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings to pick up the win. Bruce Rondon was credited with his first career save by recording the final out in the top of the seventh inning.

Zach McAllister (7-8) was roughed up for five runs on six hits and four walks over just 3 2/3 innings for Cleveland, which has dropped four consecutive contests on the heels of a 5-1 stretch.

Asdrubal Cabrera grounded into a double play with runners on first and third and none away to get the Tribe on the board in the second, but the Tigers answered with a run in the home half and added four more in the third to surge ahead.

Kelly's sacrifice fly tied the game in the second. Jose Iglesias doubled to begin the third before scoring on Austin Jackson's single. A Dirks single two batters later coupled with a Prince Fielder walk loaded the bases for Martinez, who brought home Jackson and Dirks when he belted a shot to center that Michael Bourn couldn't find in the lights.

Martinez reached second on the play and after Kelly was intentionally walked to reload the bags, Fielder scampered home on Alex Avila's groundout to third, which made it 5-1.

"I saw it off the bat, I knew it was coming to me. From there, I didn't see it," Bourn said of Martinez's hit.

Al Alburquerque replaced Porcello with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth. He walked Asdrubal Cabrera to plate a run and make it 5-2, but Yan Gomes grounded out to third to end the frame.

Detroit added two runs in the seventh when Dirks scored on a wild pitch and Omar Infante deposited a two-out, RBI single into left to make it 7-2.

Game Notes

There was a 1:09 rain delay before the game was called ... Detroit was 3- for-10 with runners in scoring position, while the Indians finished 1-for-7 with RISP.