Tigers Lose Eighth Straight Game To Indians In 6-0 Shutout
NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer
DETROIT (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered twice and Carlos Carrasco pitched a four-hitter to lead the Cleveland Indians to their eighth consecutive win, 6-0 over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
Cleveland also improved to 8-0 against the Tigers this year, outscoring them 51-16.
It was the first career multihomer game for the 22-year-old Lindor, and Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes also went deep for AL Central-leading Cleveland.
The Indians spoiled Anibal Sanchez's return to the Detroit rotation. The right-hander allowed a homer to Santana on the game's second pitch, and Lindor added another solo shot one out later.
Carrasco (3-2) struck out seven and walked one. He threw a season-high 117 pitches in his third career shutout and first of the year.
Sanchez (4-8) made his first start since May 31 after being demoted to the bullpen for a bit. He allowed four runs and five hits in five innings.
Santana opened the scoring with his 16th homer of the season, a drive down the right-field line. Lindor's homer later in the first cleared the wall in the same area near the foul pole.
Rajai Davis made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the second, and Sanchez allowed another run in the third before finishing his outing with perfect innings in the fourth and fifth.
Lindor's second homer came in the eighth — again down the line in right. He now has 10 home runs on the season.
Gomes hit a solo shot in the ninth.
Carrasco never allowed more than one baserunner in an inning, and he retired 11 in a row before Miguel Cabrera's one-out single in the ninth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: 2B Jason Kipnis (illness) left the game in the seventh. ... RHP Craig Stammen (right forearm surgery) started for the Arizona League Indians on Friday, pitching one inning.
Tigers: OF Steven Moya (knee) did not play.
UP NEXT
Indians: Josh Tomlin (8-1) takes the mound Sunday when Cleveland tries for a three-game sweep against the Tigers. The right-hander has allowed only seven walks this season.
Tigers: Justin Verlander (7-5) tries for his 12th quality start of the year. He's struck out 69 in 65 1/3 innings since May 8, and opponents are hitting .190 off him in that span.
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