Detroit, MI – Prince Fielder went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI, leading the Tigers to a 10-2 rout of the struggling Indians.
Miguel Cabrera also had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run, while Alex Avila went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI in a 16-hit barrage for Detroit, which was coming off a disappointing 3-6 road trip.
The offensive explosion helped Anibal Sanchez (1-1) earn his first victory in a Tigers uniform. Sanchez, in his second start since being traded from the Marlins, allowed two runs -- one earned -- on eight hits and a pair of walks in six-plus innings.
Justin Masterson (7-10) lasted only four innings after getting tagged for seven runs on 10 hits in Cleveland's seventh straight loss.
Before the game, the Indians designated the struggling Johnny Damon for assignment and called up Ezequiel Carrera looking for a spark offensively.
Carrera scored Cleveland's first run on a Shin-Soo Choo single in the third, but the left fielder lost a ball in the sun in the previous half-inning, resulting in an RBI double for Avila.
Fielder broke the 1-1 tie in the home third with a two-run double high off the wall in right-center.
The slugger broke the game open an inning later when he cleared the wall with plenty to spare for a two-run homer. Quintin Berry and Cabrera each drove in a run with a two-out hit prior to Fielder's 18th round-tripper.
Detroit scored three more runs in the sixth. Andy Dirks, fresh off the disabled list, singled up the middle to knock in Cabrera, Avila followed with a run-scoring single and Omar Infante hit a sacrifice fly.
Jason Kipnis' RBI groundout in the seventh accounted for Cleveland's other run.
Game Notes
Cleveland had not lost more than six straight since dropping seven in a row from June 19-26, 2010...Masterson has surrendered 17 runs -- 15 earned -- in his last two starts...Dirks had been sidelined since May 31 with right achilles tendinitis.
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