Indians tag Verlander, top Tigers again 9-3 for 9th straight

The Detroit Tigers edged the Cleveland Indians by one game in the American League Central back in 2013 by winning 15 of the 19 meetings between the teams.

The homer-filled fifth started with back-to-back home runs by Juan Uribe and Tyler Naquin, before Verlander retired Carlos Santana and Michael Martinez.

They are the ones overlooking the fact that the Indians have the third most home runs in the A.L.in June with 39 and are also third in team OPS for the month at.804.

Only once before had Verlander (7-6) allowed four homers in a start – also against the Indians in 2007. Three of the six hits he allowed were solo home runs.

“I thought early on, he either, with his breaking ball, he’d throw a really good one or something that backed up so much, kind of like the one to (Miguel Cabrera) that he took, one of the better pitches in baseball”, manager Terry Francona said, referring to Carrasco’s strikeout of Cabrera in the opening inning. He hit 12 homers in 99 games past year, and combined to hit 11 in a full season at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus in 2014. Fernandez, who is 10-3 overall this season with a 2.28 ERA, held the Cubs to four hits – all singles – three walks and one run in seven innings.

Francisco Lindor homered twice and Carlos Carrasco pitched a four-hitter for Cleveland, which has won eight straight.

Sanchez allowed four runs on five hits in five innings, allowing two home runs, walking two batters and striking out three. “Yeah, he’ll probably start here against the Marlins”, manager Brad Ausmus said.

“He didn’t get any hits (Saturday) but he hit the ball hard a few times”, Ausmus said.

Indians: Josh Tomlin (8-1) takes the mound Sunday when Cleveland tries for a three-game sweep against the Tigers.

Cameron Rupp capped a three-run seventh inning against San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner with a two-run home run, propelling the Philadelphia Phillies into a 3-2 victory. Jose Ramirez continued the inning with a single of his own before Lonnie Chisenhall launched the second two-run long ball of the frame, ending Verlander’s day. Chisenhall made it 2-1 with an RBI single later in the inning. “That’s not a recipe for success”. His 13th came with one out in the fourth and his 14th opened the sixth to make it 8-3.

The four-homer frame was just the third in franchise history, the previous two coming on July 31, 1963 and July 16, 2004.

MILWAUKEE – Chris Carter hit a three-run homer and Matt Garza picked up his first victory of the season as Milwaukee extended Washington’s losing streak to a season-high seven games.

Tigers: RF Steven Moya missed his second straight game with a sore knee.

Jonathan Villar had three hits and stole his 26th base of the season and Aaron Hill had two hits for the Brewers, who won their third in a row.

Verlander (7-6) allowed nine hits, walked two and struck out five in 4 2/3 innings, his shortest start since lasting 4 1/3 innings in his second outing of the year.

As of now, the Tigers starting rotation looks like this: Mike Pelfrey on Tuesday against the Miami Marlins, lefty Daniel Norris on Wednesday, then Jordan Zimmermann on Thursday for the series opener against the Rays.