Detroit Tigers drill Cleveland Indians 7-5 – MLB News
Detroit Tigers maintained their dominance in the American League Central Division as they secured a comfortable 7-5 win at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan on Friday, June 7, in the opening game of their three match series of
the 2013 Major League Baseball regular season.
Starting pitcher Justin Verlander continued to impress the critics as he grabbed his eighth win of the season with another scintillating performance. The right hander will be extremely pleased with his performance in a high pressure
game. Overall, Verlander gave up just seven hits and three run in seven solid innings to put his side in the driver’s seat. Joaquin Benoit pitched scoreless eighth to impress the skipper Jim Leyland.
"I tried to circumvent the system," Verlander said. "I tried to go the other way and sneak around him, but he was too quick for me."
"I wasn't trying to play a joke on him. I just wanted to stay in the game," Verlander said. "He always stands there and sticks out his hand so I figured maybe if I snuck around him he'd let me go back out there."
"They were two split-fingers, and they just golfed them. That happens," Leyland said. "But the key to that was that he didn't walk anybody. I'm happy with that."
Closer Jose Valverde, once again, showed his vulnerability under pressure as he allowed three hits and two runs in the ninth but the Tigers were lucky to hold on to their lead to complete a deserving victory. For the Indians, starter
Ubaldo Jimenez had a terrible time on the mound as he conceded five runs on seven hits in just three innings to take his fourth loss of the season.
Tigers’ designated hitter Victor Martinez continued his stunning form upon his return from injury as he smacked a solo home run to right in the second innings to put Tigers on the board. Torii Hunter, Andy Dirks and Miguel Cabrera
also drove in crucial runs to extend Tigers’ lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning. Brayan Pena's heroics in the fifth and the seventh ensured the Tigers won the game comfortably.
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