Indians hold on for 3-2 victory over Tigers
DETROIT (AP) -- Carlos Carrasco pitched six impressive innings, and the bullpen held on for the Cleveland Indians in their 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night.
Jose Ramirez hit a two-run triple in the fourth, and the Indians rebounded a bit after losing the first two of the four-game set. Carrasco (3-2) allowed two runs and five hits.
Andrew Miller struck out four in two innings in his longest relief outing of the season so far, and Cody Allen walked two in the ninth but struck out Jim Adduci with the tying run on third to end it. Allen has seven saves in seven chances.
Detroit left-hander Matthew Boyd (2-2) allowed three runs and five hits in 7 2/3 innings. The Tigers also lost second baseman Ian Kinsler, who was removed in the top of the seventh inning with left hamstring tightness.
Carrasco had pitched eight innings in each of his previous two starts, but when he only went six Wednesday, manager Terry Francona turned Miller loose in relief. The tall left-hander logged a heavy workload in the postseason last year, but this was the first time in 2017 he made it through two innings.
Ramirez gave the Indians a 2-0 lead with his big hit in the fourth, and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Jason Kipnis.
Adduci hit an RBI single in the fifth for Detroit, and Victor Martinez made it 3-2 in the sixth with a sacrifice fly.
Once that inning was over, the Indians went with Miller and Allen the rest of the way, perhaps a sign that they felt this was a particularly important early season divisional matchup. Cleveland went 14-4 against Detroit last year but had lost four of its first five against the Tigers this season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: Cleveland put RHP Corey Kluber on the disabled list before the game with a lower back strain.
Tigers: Miguel Cabrera, who came off the DL before Tuesday's game, was in the starting lineup and played the entire game Wednesday. Cabrera homered Tuesday after returning from a groin problem, but he was removed from that game in the late innings.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Danny Salazar (2-2) takes the mound against the Tigers in the series finale Thursday.
Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer (2-2) starts for Detroit. Fulmer was the AL Rookie of the Year last season, but he went just 1-2 with a 6.98 ERA against the Indians.
