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Tigers' Porcello aims to halt skid vs. Indians

Sep 4, 2012 - 2:55 PM (Sports Network) - Rick Porcello tries to snap a personal four-start losing streak on Tuesday when the Detroit Tigers continue a three-game series with the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park.

Porcello's latest loss came on Thursday in Kansas City, despite a decent effort that saw him surrender two runs and eight hits in five innings. Still, he fell to 9-10 to go along with a 4.57 ERA.

"He did great. He gave us a good chance to win that ballgame right there," Tigers outfielder Andy Dirks said. "It's kind of one of those things where our offense didn't come through."

Porcello lost to the Tribe the last time he faced them, but is 5-2 lifetime with a 4.06 ERA in 13 starts against them.

He'll be trying to help the Tigers bounce back after a loss in Monday's opener, as Corey Kluber spun six strong innings to earn his first major league victory, helping Cleveland eke out a 3-2 win.

Kluber (1-3), making his seventh big league start, allowed two runs on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Cody Allen and Esmil Rogers each fired hitless frames in relief before Vinnie Pestano worked around a leadoff double in the ninth to nail down his second save of the season.

"We had pitching today and we made some plays and we were able to get the win," Indians manager Manny Acta said.

Asdrubal Cabrera knocked in a pair, including the go-ahead run in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly to help the Indians win for the second time in their last three games on the heels of a six-game skid.

Delmon Young finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Tigers, who fell game back of the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. Detroit, of course, had swept the White Sox this past weekend to move into a first place tie, but Chicago beat Minnesota on Monday to regain the lead.

"I didn't see any signs of lingering a big series," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. "We were ready to play and we got beat."

Darin Downs (1-1) was charged with the loss after loading the bases in the seventh before Cabrera's go-ahead fly.

Getting the call for the Indians on Tuesday will be righty Justin Masterson, who is 10-12 with a 4.91 ERA. Masterson lost for the second time in three starts on Thursday against Oakland, as he was pounded for eight runs and eight hits in four innings.

It was the fifth time this season that Masterson allowed as many as eight runs, tying Mel Harder's 1936 club record. His seven starts with at least seven runs allowed this season are also the most since Harder had seven outings of that nature, also in 1936.

The club record for that dubious feat is nine such games by George Uhle (1924) and Sherry Smith (1925).

Oddly enough, Masterson has allowed two runs or less in 14 starts and has notched a quality start 16 times this year.

"It's been basically command," Cleveland skipper Manny Acta said. "Overall, he's been a warrior for us. He hasn't been what we were expecting, or what he was expecting, but he has thrown some good games for us when we've needed him."

In 12 games (9 starts) against the Tigers, Masterson is just 1-5 with a 5.43 ERA. He was roughed up to the tune of seven runs in only four innings in a loss to them back on Aug. 3.

Cleveland is 8-5 against the Tigers this season.