Indians Hit Three Home Runs To Power Past Detroit

Sports Network) – Travis Hafner hit a three-run homer in a five-run fifth inning, as the Cleveland Indians earned a 6-3 win over the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a three-game series at Progressive Field.

Matt LaPorta and Luke Carlin hit solo homers in the fifth for Cleveland, which has won four straight.

Carlos Carrasco (2-1) worked six innings, allowing three runs on 11 hits with one walk while striking out five in earning the win. Chris Perez recorded his 22nd save with a perfect ninth.

Austin Jackson went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored for the Tigers, who had won eight of nine coming in. Jhonny Peralta added a run-scoring single in defeat.

Armando Galarraga (4-8) suffered the loss for allowing five runs on four hits with four walks in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander did not strike out a batter.

“We finally broke loose against Galarraga, who has pitched very well against us,” said manager Manny Acta, whose Indians had not scored in 16 previous innings this year against the Tigers starter, including his infamous near- perfect game on June 2.

Peralta’s two-out single to left in the third and Jackson’s RBI base hit in the fourth put the Tigers ahead 2-0.

LaPorta’s leadoff homer in the fifth — the Indians’ first hit of the game — and a one-out shot by Carlin tied things.

The Tribe weren’t finished as Michael Brantley doubled and Shin-Soo Choo worked a two-out walk before Hafner jumped on a 1-0 changeup and crushed it into the right-field seats for a 5-2 Cleveland lead that ended Galarraga’s outing.

Jackson got a run back for the Tigers in the sixth with a sacrifice fly, but Asdrubal Cabrera’s run-scoring double in the seventh restored Cleveland’s three-run edge.

Tony Sipp and Perez worked a perfect eighth and ninth, respectively, to close out the 6-3 victory.

“We couldn’t get any hits to break anything open. We had some chances but we couldn’t take advantage of them,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera left the game in the top of the seventh after turning his right ankle while getting back to first on a throw from catcher Carlin…Cleveland outfielder Trevor Crowe went 1-for-4 and extended his career-high hitting streak to 13 games…Despite the loss, Detroit is 9-7 against Cleveland this season.

Indians Go After Fourth Straight Win In Series Opener Against Tigers

Armando Galarraga hopes to continue his mastery of the Cleveland Indians this evening when the Detroit Tigers open a three-game series against them at Progressive Field.

Galarraga, of course, came within an out of a perfect game against the Indians back on June 2 only to be denied by a blown call from first base umpire Jim Joyce. He then followed that up with seven scoreless innings in a win against the Tribe on August 20.

However, Galarraga is winless since that start and has lost his last two outings. On Tuesday against Kansas City the right-hander was hit for five runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings, dropping him to 4-7 to go along with a 4.44 ERA.

Facing the Indians, though, should get him back on track, as Galarraga owns a 5-3 lifetime mark against them with a 4.15 ERA in 10 starts.

The Tigers have been terrific of late, winning eight of their last nine games. The one loss in that span, though, was Galarraga's start. In fact their last two losses have both come with Galarraga on the hill.

Detroit swept a three-game set from the American League Central-champion Minnesota Twins over the weekend. The Tigers completed the white-wash on Sunday, as Rick Porcello pitched eight sold innings in a 5-1 win at Comerica Park.

Porcello (10-11) scattered four hits, one of which was a home run by Delmon Young. Porcello also struck out five and walked one. The young right-hander has won five straight decisions.

"The offense did a great job, the defense played well and we pitched well. To sweep a team that's going to the playoffs is nice," Porcello said.

Ramon Santiago connected on a three-run homer and Miguel Cabrera added a two- run blast for the Tigers, who concluded the home portion of their 2010 schedule with a 52-29 record.

Cleveland, meanwhile, also enters tonight's series on the heels of a big series win, as it took three of four from the Kansas City Royals to move out of the cellar in the Central.

On Sunday, Michael Brantley capped a five-run eighth inning with a two-run double, as Cleveland rallied for a 5-3 win. Shelley Duncan added a three-run homer for the Indians, who are 1 1/2 games ahead of the last-place Royals.

Fausto Carmona allowed two runs on six hits in a five-inning start, and Rafael Perez (6-1) earned the victory for 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Vinnie Pestano recorded his first career save with a shutout ninth inning.

Getting the call for the Indians tonight will be righty Carlos Carrasco, who is 1-1 with a 3.03 ERA. Carrasco was charged with the loss on Wednesday in Minnesota, as he allowed three runs and six hits in six innings.

Carrasco has lost both of his starts to the Tigers, pitching to a 11.25 ERA in those outings.

Detroit is 9-6 against the Tribe this season. However, the home team in this matchup has won the last nine meetings.