Associated Press
Associated Press
CLEVELAND — Detroit manager Jim Leyland doesn’t think the race in the American League Central is over.
After his team finished off a four-game sweep of Cleveland with Thursday’s 10-3 win — the Tigers’ 12th straight victory — Leyland would have a tough convincing anyone else of his case.
“I know better than that,” Leyland said when asked if the Tigers have taken control of the division. “I’m no fool. This is one of those series you can’t explain. Sometimes freaky things happen.”
Max Scherzer became baseball’s first 17-game winner and Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs as the AL Central leaders and opened a seven-game lead over the Indians. The series was billed as a battle between the division’s two top teams, but the Tigers made it clear they’re in charge.
“We came out here and played as good a four game series that we played all year,” Scherzer said as the music blared loudly in Detroit’s clubhouse. “Everybody played their best. All the starters, all the hitters, the relievers. Everybody did their jobs.”
Indians manager Terry Francona understandably had a different point of view.
“Tonight was a tough night, and this was a terrible, a tough series,” he said. “It’s a hard way to play, but we’ll come back (Friday) and see if we can do better.”
Scherzer (17-1) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. He helped the Tigers beat Cleveland for the 12th time in their last 13 meetings.
The Tigers have won 12 in a row for the first time since Sept. 2-14, 2011.
Coupled with a 13-game winning streak by idle Atlanta, this marks the first time in major league history that two teams have had winning streaks of at least 12 games at the same time during a season since May 16, 1884, STATS said. That was the only other time it occurred — the St. Louis Maroons had won 15 straight, the New York Gothams had taken 12 in a row.
“When we’re able to execute as a team, we can do great things,” Scherzer said. “That’s why we think we’re one of the best teams in the American League.”
Cleveland’s futility for the series was summed up when Francona let utilityman Ryan Raburn pitch the ninth inning. Raburn retired three straight hitters, striking out Matt Tuiasosopo, in his professional pitching debut and drew a standing ovation.
Cabrera drew a bases-loaded walk during a six-run third and hit a two-run single in the fifth, giving him 105 RBIs this season.
That gave Scherzer a huge cushion. He retired the first nine hitters, struck out five and one. He also recorded the 1,000th strikeout of his career when he fanned Jason Kipnis to end the first.
Scherzer threw 100 pitches, and left with a 2.84 ERA this year. The right-hander is 4-0, allowing four earned runs in 28 1-3 innings, since starting for the AL in the All-Star game.
“He’s always good,” Leyland said. “He was pretty much vintage Max.”
Zach McAllister (4-7) allowed six runs in 2 1-3 innings, his shortest start of the season.
Asdrubal Cabrera drove in Cleveland’s only runs off Scherzer with RBI doubles in the fourth and sixth.
McAllister’s short outing forced Francona to empty his bullpen, which was already taxed by Wednesday’s 14-inning game. Preston Guilmet, Matt Albers and Marc Rzepczynski got the Indians through the eighth but Francona needed one more arm for the ninth.
The 25,131 fans cheered wildly when Raburn fanned Tuiasosopo and retired Hernan Perez and Brayan Pena on groundouts. Raburn became the first position player to pitch for the Indians since Andy Marte threw one inning against the Yankees on July 29, 2010.
Detroit began sending its message in the series opener. Detroit rallied off Indians closer Chris Perez in the ninth inning for a 4-2 win on Monday. Justin Verlander allowed one run in eight dominant innings in Tuesday’s 5-1 victory. Cabrera’s home run off rookie Danny Salazar was the key blow Wednesday and the Tigers went on to win 6-5 in 14 innings.
With the momentum clearly on their side, the Tigers struck early in the finale, sending 11 batters to the plate in the third. Cabrera walked for Detroit’s first run before Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez added two-run doubles.
ROYALS 5, RED SOX 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bruce Chen outdueled Jon Lester as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Boston Red Sox.
The Royals won for the 16th time in 20 games since the All-Star break. The Red Sox, who have the best record in the American League, lost for only the third time in 10 games.
Chen (5-0), who was making his fifth start since beginning the season in the bullpen, did not allow a runner past first base until the eighth and retired 11 in a row in one stretch. He yielded five singles, walked one and struck out two.
Lester (10-7), who came into the game with a 6-2 record and 1.64 ERA in nine starts against the Royals, needed 41 pitches in the first inning when Kansas City sent eight men to the plate and scored three runs.
PIRATES 5, MARLINS 4
PITTSBURGH — Russell Martin’s pinch-hit single with two outs in the 10th inning lifted the Pirates to their fifth straight win.
Martin delivered his fourth game-ending hit at PNC Park this year for the NL Central leaders.
The Pirates swept the three-game series and improved to 70-44, the best record in the majors. Miami lost its fifth in a row.
DODGERS 5, CARDINALS 1
ST. LOUIS — A.J. Ellis hit a three-run home run and rookie Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched seven stellar innings to help the red-hot Dodgers beat the Cardinals.
The Dodgers have won 17 of their last 18 games on the road, with the only loss coming Tuesday to St. Louis in the second game of the four-game set. Los Angeles returns home for a six-game home stand against Tampa and the New York Mets.
Ryu (11-3) allowed one unearned run on five hits while striking out seven and walking no one. He increased his winning percentage to .786, which is the highest winning percentage for a rookie in Dodgers’ history.
Los Angeles spoiled the first start for St. Louis rookie Carlos Martinez (0-1), who was called up from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day to make the start.
GIANTS 4, BREWERS 1
SAN FRANCISCO — Tim Lincecum pitched another gem, allowing only one hit over eight shutout innings and leading the Giants past the Brewers.
Lincecum, who threw his first career no-hitter on July 13 at San Diego, permitted just a double to Juan Francisco leading off the third inning.
Lincecum (6-11) struck out eight and walked one in eight innings before getting pulled for a pinch-hitter. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner had been 0-2 in three starts since throwing 148 pitches in his no-hitter.
Brandon Belt hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Donovan Hand (0-4). Marco Scutaro and Brandon Crawford each added three hits.
PHILLIES 12, CUBS 1
PHILADELPHIA — Ethan Martin earned his first major league win, Cody Asche hit his first home run and the Phillies routed the Cubs.
Asche’s two-run drive capped a six-run burst in the fourth inning that made it 10-1. He had three hits and fellow rookie Darin Ruf also homered.
Martin (1-1) got more than enough support. He pitched five innings and allowed one run and four hits, striking out four and walking three. Nat Schierholtz homered in the fourth.
Chase Utley delivered an RBI double on the day the Phillies announced a new contract with the star second baseman that goes through the 2015 season.
Jeff Samardzija (6-11) was chased in the fourth inning.
The game was delayed by rain for 22 minutes in the seventh inning.
METS 2, ROCKIES 1
NEW YORK — Dillon Gee followed Matt Harvey’s first career shutout with an impressive outing of his own, helping the Mets beat Colorado and sending the Rockies home after matching the worst road trip in team history.
Gee (8-8) scattered eight hits without yielding a walk in 7 2-3 innings to win for the first time since July 14. He allowed Corey Dickerson’s homer leading off the fourth inning.
Rookie Wilmer Flores had an RBI groundout and Anthony Recker a sacrifice fly off spot starter Jeff Manship as the Mets completed their first three-game sweep over the Rockies since 2008 at Shea Stadium.
Manship (0-1) was called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs for the start because right-hander Tyler Chatwood experienced inflammation in his right elbow after a bullpen session Tuesday. Chatwood was throwing to test a tight hamstring that forced Colorado to push back his start two days to Thursday.
Now he’s headed to the DL, the latest blow for the sinking Rockies.