Cleveland, OH – Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs and Victor Martinez had two RBI, as Detroit outlasted two rain delays to beat the Cleveland Indians, 11-7, in the finale of a two-game set.
Brayan Pena supplied three of Detroit's 14 hits and knocked in a run. Cabrera, Torii Hunter, Jhonny Peralta and Andy Dirks each had two hits for the Tigers, who took Tuesday's opener.
"It was one of those freaky nights," said Detroit manager Jim Leyland. "We finally got through (the game) and on the right side of it."
Detroit starter Justin Verlander (5-4) allowed five runs on 10 hits and struck out nine in five innings.
Michael Brantley finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and Carlos Santana added a two-run homer for the Indians. Cleveland starter Ubaldo Jimenez (3-3) was tagged for six runs and seven hits in four frames.
"I thought tonight there were some balls (thrown by Jimenez) that got over the middle too much and they squared them up," Indians manager Terry Francona said.
Brantley singled home Asdrubal Cabrera in the home first, and Michael Bourn singled home Mark Reynolds in the second, but the Tigers came back with four in the third.
Hunter and Miguel Cabrera worked consecutive one-out walks, then Prince Fielder's ground-rule double, a Martinez sacrifice fly and back-to-back RBI doubles from Peralta and Pena boosted the visitors to a 6-2 lead.
Run-scoring hits from Don Kelly and Omar Infante, then a double steal which saw Kelly score despite Infante being caught at second pushed Detroit's advantage to 9-2 in the fifth.
Cleveland responded with more in the home half on Brantley's single and a homer from Santana before thunderstorms halted play for 62 minutes.
The Tribe got within 9-7 in the home sixth off Drew Smyly after a leadoff homer from Yan Gomes and a two-out RBI single from Brantley, but after Santana walked, Fielder snagged Jason Giambi's hot shot behind first and stepped on the bag to prevent further damage.
Play was halted again following the bottom of the seventh. Once the rain eased up, Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the eighth that bounced off Bourn's glove and over the wall in center.
Detroit pushed across two runs in the first on an RBI double from Cabrera and a sac fly from Martinez.
Game Notes
The Tigers were 7-for-12 with runners in scoring position ... Cleveland finished with 13 hits and left eight men on base.
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