• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Santana, Indians sweep DH against Tigers

Jul 20, 2014 - 5:36 AM Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Carlos Santana hit a three-run double in the ninth inning and the Cleveland Indians swept a day-night doubleheader from the Detroit Tigers with a 5-2 win Saturday evening.

Santana's drive off the wall in right-center field was just feet from being a homer and gave the Indians their fourth straight win, including three in a row to start this four-game series.

Austin Jackson hit a game-tying RBI triple for Detroit in the seventh inning but the Tigers dropped their fourth in a row, allowing the Indians to climb within 4 1/2 games of their lead in the AL Central.

"I just thought we did so many things well ... just a lot of good things," Indians manager Terry Francona said.

In the opener of the doubleheader, Corey Kluber recorded 10 strikeouts while coming within an out of his second career complete game to lead the Indians to a 6-2 win.

Chris Dickerson, who hadn't homered in almost 14 months, hit two solo blasts off Max Scherzer in the nightcap after entering the game 0-for-9 with seven strikeouts in his career against the reigning AL Cy Young winner.

His second homer gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning and chased the Tigers starter from the game.

Scherzer was tagged for two runs on six hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings. The winning pitcher in this week's All-Star Game was 3-0 in his last four starts coming in.

Zach McAllister pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Indians after being called up from Triple-A Columbus for the second time this month. He gave up one run on three hits and three walks while striking out six.

In the ninth, Jackson tracked Roberto Perez's long drive to the warning track in right-center but it went off his glove for a leadoff double, starting the Indians rally.

Jason Kipnis drew a one-out walk and Michael Brantley was intentionally walked with two down to face Santana, who unloaded on a 2-1 fastball.

Joe Nathan (4-3) threw 26 pitches in the inning, 11 for strikes. Carlos Carrasco (3-3) threw a perfect eighth inning for the win and Cody Allen pitched the ninth for his 13th save.

"I don't know if it was the lay off or what, but he seemed to have trouble with his command," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said of Nathan.

The Tigers got a little lucky on the way to tying the score in the seventh after the Indians were unable to turn what would have been an inning-ending double play when Kipnis had trouble getting the ball out of his glove at second base.

Jackson followed with a triple to right-center off Scott Atchison to score Eugenio Suarez from first base and make it 2-2.

Earlier, McAllister threw a wild pitch and walked three straight batters in the second inning to force in Torii Hunter, who had singled with one out.

But Dickerson led off the third with his first homer since May 31 last year, driving a 0-1 curveball over the right-field fence to tie the score at 1-1 for Cleveland.

And with McAllister keeping the Tigers off the board, Dickerson hit a two-out, 2-2 changeup to right again for his second homer of the game to make it 2-1.

The Tigers had two hits through six innings against McAllister, who retired 10 in a row after walking the bases loaded in the second inning before Miguel Cabrera doubled to lead off the sixth.

Game Notes

The Indians are 11-4 in their last 15 games ... Dickerson hit two solo homers for Baltimore on May 21 last year against Tampa Bay ... Scherzer struck out four. He pitched one scoreless inning in Tuesday's All-Star Game.