Detroit Tigers Stay Unbeaten with Sweep of Tribe

The Detroit Tigers preyed on a struggling T.J. House early and he was in the showers before you knew it and the Tigers took an early command of the game..

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Rajai Davis started the Tigers off in the first inning with a walk and then quickly stole second base.  Ian Kinsler singled in Davis.  The first two Tigers’ batters set them up for an early attack just in yesterday’s 9-6 victory.  Miguel Cabrera then opened up the T.J. House barrage in the top of the first with his first home run of the year, a two run blast making it a quick 3-0 Tiger lead.

Lefthander Kyle Lobstein got his first start of the year filling in for the injured Justin Verlander.  The Tigers needed the lead for Lobstein today as he did not have a sharp opening.  The Indians started their scoring in bottom of first inning.  Michael Bourn stole third base after Lobstein bobbled a certain double play and then was singled home by first baseman Carlos Santana

House lasted all of one and a third innings and his disaster of a second inning got him the hook early from Terry Francona.  In the top of the second inning , Rajai Davis singled to center with one out.  Davis stole his second base as in many innings by taking second.  Ian Kinsler walked to give Miggy a familiar scenario at the plate with two runners on base.  Cabrera extended his incredible series by going nine for twelve and drove Davis home with a single to left for his third RBI of the game.  House loaded the bases with a walk to Victor Martinez, who was back in the lineup after leaving yesterday’s game with some pain in his left leg.  J.D. Martinez singled home two runs to make it a 6-1 Tigers lead.

Lobstein struggled over the next few innings.  In the bottom of the fourth the Indians rallied for two runs when Ryan Raburn, a frequent Tiger killer, singled home Santana and Brandon Moss.

Cabrera finished the game four for four with a single, double, two home runs and four RBI’s.  It was the first time in his career that he had back to back four hit games.  He finished the series in Cleveland hitting an amazing eleven for fifteen with two home runs and six RBI’s.

Miguel Cabrera added his second home run of the game and the season with a solo shot in the top of the fourth extending the Tigers lead to 7-3.

Angel Nesbitt replaced Lobstein after five innings and pitched two solid innings for the Tigers , without allowing a hit or a run.  Blaine Hardy relieved Nesbitt in the eighth inning and struggled for his second appearance in a row.  He gave up two runs Brandon Moss walked and Ryan Raburn doubled to deep center.  Third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall grounded to second and Moss scored.  Raburn then scored on a sacrifice fly from Roberto Perez cutting the Tigers lead to 7-5.

The Tigers weren’t finished with their hitting party on Lake Erie.  J.D. Martinez hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth, his third of the season and his third RBI of the game.

Joakim Soria relieved Hardy in the ninth and an even with an unusual throwing error from Jose Iglesias, retired the side easily in the recording his second save of the season and giving the Tigers an 8-5 win.

The Tigers recorded eleven hits in today’s game.  The offense remains on a terror finishing the series with twenty-five runs and thirty six hits in Cleveland.

Up Next:

The Detroit Tigers venture down the road to Pittsburgh tomorrow facing a struggling Pirate squad for a three game series. Anibal Sanchez goes to the mound at 1:35 facing right hander Gerrit Cole.

Next: Kinsler could be MVP