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Tigers rough up Indians

Jul 30, 2008 - 3:49 AM By Todd Krepop PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland came up with a new way to keep his team fresh. He canceled batting practice.

Brandon Inge homered and drove in three runs and the Detroit Tigers defeated the Cleveland Indians 8-5, on Tuesday night.

Miguel Cabrera also homered and Gary Sheffield drove in two runs as the Tigers bounced back from Monday night's shutout against Cleveland.

A day after watching his team get blanked for the 11th time this season, Tigers manager Jim Leyland excused Detroit from taking batting practice before Tuesday's game. It turned out to be the right move as the Tigers banged out 14 hits - six for extra bases.

"It was a nice reward for them this time of the season," Leyland said. "It was something fun to do and it kept the guys fresh."

Leyland has no problem if the trend continues.

"As far as I am concerned, if we keep winning, we can come (to the ballpark) at 6:15 every day," he said.

Cabrera jump-started the offense with a solo home run in the second to give Detroit a 1-0 lead. Cabrera blasted Matt Ginter's 1-0 offering deep into the left field bleachers for his 18th home run of the season.

The Tigers tacked on three more runs in the fourth on a two-run double by Edgar Renteria and an RBI single by Inge to increase the lead to 4-0.

"That was a big hit," said Leyland of Renteria's double. "He is going to hit for us. He is a big-time player."

"They have a good hitting team," Ginter said. "They have tough guys up and down the lineup. They make you work."

That was it for Ginter (1-2), who allowed four runs on eight hits in only four innings. Reliever Juan Rincon replaced Ginter to start the fifth but couldn't slow down the Tigers' offense.

Carlos Guillen and Edgar Renteria each singled and came around to score on a two-out double by Sheffield as the Tigers increased their lead to 6-1.

"(Detroit) is a good hitting ballclub," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "They keep coming at you. It's tough to hold them down. They got the big hits."

Inge, who is still adjusting to being a part-time player, capped the scoring for Detroit with a two-run homer in the eighth off Rafael Betancourt. Inge hammered Betancourt's first pitch over the left field wall for his eighth home run of the season.

"For quite a few years, I was used to playing 160 games," said Inge, who was sent to the bench when the Tigers acquired Cabrera in the offseason. "It's been the most difficult year I have had in the majors. I go by feel, but it is tough when you get a feeling one day and by the time you play again, the feeling is gone."

Tigers starter Armando Galarraga (9-4) benefited from the offense explosion. The rookie righthander kept the Indians in check until tiring in the sixth, yielding three runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.

"(Galarraga) has a good idea of what he wants to do," Inge said. "He goes out there and throws a quality game and gives us a chance to win."

Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Garko each had two hits and an RBI for the Indians, who have dropped six of their last 10 games.