Recap: Detroit vs. Cleveland
Sports Network | August 26, 2008
Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Ben Francisco hit two home runs and Cliff Lee got his American League-leading 19th win, as the Cleveland Indians crushed the Detroit Tigers, 10-4, in the second of three games at Comerica Park. Lee (19-2) was sensational once again, allowing only two runs on six hits and a walk in 7 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. The lefty won for the eighth time in nine starts and for the fifth time in August, matching a season-high set in April. Francisco finished the game 3-for-5 with four runs batted in while Jamey Carroll and Kelly Shoppach each added solo home runs to give the Indians their ninth straight victory. Chris Lambert (0-1) didn't last long in his major league debut, allowing six runs -- two earned -- on five hits in 2 2/3 innings while striking out two and walking one. He didn't get much help from his defense, which committed two crucial errors in the third. Brandon Inge went 2-for-4 with an RBI while Ryan Raburn had a hit, a run scored and an RBI for the Tigers, losers of three straight. Carroll and Shoppach gave the Indians a 2-0 lead, starting off the third inning with back-to-back homers. Also in the third, Asdrubal Cabrera was hit by a pitch and stole second. Franklin Gutierrez hit a grounder that got past Raburn at third, allowing Cabrera to score. Two batters later, Jhonny Peralta roped a base hit to left that was misplayed by Marcus Thames, plating one more for a 4-0 advantage. David Dellucci followed with a two-out RBI double to score Peralta for the fifth run of the inning. Then, Carroll got his second hit of the inning, an RBI bloop single to plate Dellucci. Francisco extended the lead to 8-0 with a two-out, two-run homer off Aquilino Lopez in the fourth. Detroit got on the board in the fifth. Thames led off with a single and two batters later Raburn doubled to deep center, scoring one. Inge followed with a bloop single to plate another run. Francisco added his second two-run shot of the game in the seventh to give the Indians a 10-2 lead. Edgar Renteria added a two-run homer in the ninth off Edward Mujica to cap the scoring at 10-4. Game Notes The season series is tied 7-7...Over the last 10 games the Indians bullpen has a 3.25 ERA (27 2/3 IP, 10 ER)...Before the game Detroit called up Lambert from Triple-A Toledo. In a corresponding move, the team designated Francis Beltran for assignment...Every Cleveland starter reached base in the game. Game Notes The season series is tied 7-7...Over the last 10 games the Indians bullpen has a 3.25 ERA (27 2/3 IP, 10 ER)...Before the game Detroit called up Lambert from Triple-A Toledo. In a corresponding move, the team designated Francis Beltran for assignment...Every Cleveland starter reached base in the game.
