CLEVELAND (AP) — Justin Verlander dominated for eight innings and Don Kelly hit a three-run homer off Justin Masterson, leading the Detroit Tigers to their 10th straight win, 5-1 over the Cleveland Indians.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Justin Verlander dominated for eight innings and Don Kelly hit a three-run homer off Justin Masterson, leading the Detroit Tigers to their 10th straight win, 5-1 over the Cleveland Indians.
Verlander (12-8) allowed one run and four hits as the Tigers beat the Indians for 10th time in 11 games and opened a five-game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central.
Kelly connected in the fifth inning off Masterson (13-8) and Miguel Cabrera picked up his 100th RBI as the Tigers improved to 11-3 against their nearest division rival.
The Indians, who are 24-10 against the Central’s three other teams, have to hope they can win the next two over Detroit to split the series.
To do that, they’ll have to beat Doug Fister and Max Scherzer.
TWINS 7, ROYALS 0
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andrew Albers allowed four hits while pitching into the ninth inning in his major league debut, easily outdueling Royals ace James Shields and leading the Twins over Kansas City.
The first big leaguer from Saskatchewan in more than 20 years, Albers at one point retired 15 straight.
He was two outs shy of his third straight complete game dating back to Triple-A Rochester, and the first shutout in a big league debut since Detroit’s Andy Van Hekken did it in 2002.
The Twins took most of the pressure off with a big night at the plate. Brian Dozier homered and drove in three runs, and Justin Morneau and Chris Colabello also went deep for the Twins.