Tigers split doubleheader with 9-2 win over Indians
CLEVELAND (AP) -- J.D. Martinez drove in three runs, and the Detroit Tigers scored four times in the fourth inning to beat the Cleveland Indians 9-2 and split a doubleheader Sunday.
Rookie Cody Anderson out-pitched Justin Verlander for the second time in a week as Cleveland won the first game 7-2.
The Game 1 victory moved the Indians back to .500 for the first time since the fourth game of the season, but Cleveland (70-71) fell 4 1-2 games behind Texas in the AL wild-card race after Game 2.
Drew VerHagen (1-0) worked two scoreless innings for his first major league win after starter Randy Wolf threw 93 pitches in three innings.
Trevor Bauer (11-12) allowed six runs in three-plus innings. He was pulled after the first five hitters in the fourth reached base.
Martinez, who was 3 for 5, tied the game with a two-run single in the second. Rajai Davis and Dixon Machado each drove in two runs for the Tigers, who had lost 16 of 21.
After Cleveland rallied for a 7-5 win Thursday night, the teams were rained out Friday, forcing the doubleheader, and again Saturday, a game that hasn't been rescheduled.
The Tigers salvaged something from the long weekend in the second game after falling behind 2-0.
Wolf labored through a 50-pitch first inning, but gave up only two runs. Ryan Raburn had an RBI single and Giovanny Urshela drew a bases-loaded walk.
Martinez's two-run single with the bases loaded tied the game in the third. Machado's double, his first career RBI, put Detroit ahead in the fourth. Davis followed with a two-run single before Miguel Cabrera's double-play grounder added another run.
Bauer has two wins in his last seven decisions. The right-hander has allowed 13 earned runs in six innings over two starts against Detroit this season.
Anderson (4-3) allowed two runs in 5 2-3 innings. Francisco Lindor, another rookie who has helped Cleveland get back in the AL wild-card race, broke a 1-all tie with a two-run single in the fifth.
Verlander (3-8) gave up four runs in six innings and lost to Anderson for the second straight Sunday.
The Indians hadn't been .500 since they were 2-2 on April 10. Chris Johnson was 3 for 4 and drove in two runs for Cleveland, which has won 12 of 17.
Detroit, the four-time defending AL Central champion, is last in the division with a 65-77 record.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: RHP Anibal Sanchez (strained rotator cuff) will start Wednesday against Minnesota. LHP Daniel Norris (strained right oblique) will pitch in relief that day. Both are on the 15-day disabled list.
Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (strained right hamstring) might start Thursday against Kansas City, but no firm decision has been made when the reigning Cy Young winner will return.
