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Dellucci homer lifts Indians over Tigers

May 27, 2007 - 12:46 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- David Dellucci stole the show from two of the American League's premier starters.

Dellucci snapped an eighth-inning tie with a two-run blast to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

C.C Sabathia (7-1) pitched seven solid innings to earn the win, allowing three runs and six hits while striking out six.

"I felt pretty good out there," Sabathia said. "My arm and legs were the best they felt in a long time.

"I just tried to make my pitches. I wanted to keep my team in the game, giving them a chance to score some runs and win the game."

Saturday's game was billed as a battle between the aces of the AL Central's top two teams, and through six innings, neither Sabathia nor the Tigers' Justin Verlander did much to disappoint.

"This is the toughest division in baseball," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "Everyone understands that. It's going to be a dogfight every game."

However, on the same day that Detroit placed another of their ace relievers - Fernando Rodney - on the disabled list, the bullpen could not hold a lead.

"I don't feel frustrated," Rodney said. "But I feel bad because the team needs me and right now I can't pitch. That's why I feel bad. I see the bullpen now and that's why I feel bad."

After Bobby Seay allowed the tying run in the seventh, righthander Jason Grilli started the eighth by allowing back-to-back hits, the second of which was Dellucci's two-run blast to deep right to put the Indians on top, 5-3.

Grilli (2-2) suffered a leg contusion and was replaced when Ryan Garko's line drive hit him in the leg.

"I went up looking for a sinker," Dellucci said. "He gave me a slider and I was able to keep my hands inside of it and hit it into the air."

After Tom Mastny pitched a scoreless eighth, closer Joe Borowski worked out of a jam to record his 16th save. With the win, Cleveland pushes its lead in the Central to 1 1/2 games over the Tigers.

Detroit manager Jim Leyland is suddenly searching for reliable arms in the relief with flamethrower Joel Zumaya and now Rodney on the shelf with injuries.

"We'll mix and match," Leyland said. "Anybody's pitching at any time, except for (closer Todd) Jones."

The Tigers opened the scoring in the second when Marcus Thames drove Sabathia's 1-1 offering over the wall in left-center field.

The Indians wasted little time jumping on top, plating a pair of runs in the next half-inning. Grady Sizemore walked leading off the frame, but Verlander got two quick outs before Martinez hammered his 2-0 pitch over the wall in right to give Cleveland a 2-1 lead.

"We have been staying with our game plan," Martinez said. "We try to get a good at-bats every time out and good things will happen for us."

Detroit evened the score in the fourth when Gary Sheffield, who doubled leading off the inning, came in to score on Carlos Guillen's double-play groundout. The Tigers pulled back ahead in the sixth when Magglio Ordonez's sacrifice fly plated Placido Polanco. It was Ordonez's major league-leading 46th RBI of the season.

Verlander was removed following the sixth. The lanky righthander yielded two runs and three hits while striking out five and walking four.

"I think it was pretty evident that I wasn't as sharp as the last outing or the one before that," Verlander said. "Same token, I was able to battle through six but I'm a little bit disappointed in myself that a couple walks here and there, wasn't able to make it seven, which was something that I knew going into the game that I'd probably have to do is go late in the game."

Verlander was in position to notch his fifth straight win before Seay surrendered back-to-back, one-out extra-base hits to Sizemore and Casey Blake to tie the score at 3-3.

Polanco left Saturday's game with a muscle spasm in his oblique. He is listed as day-to-day.