Andres Gimenez hit a tie-breaking three-run home run in the seventh inning and the host Cleveland Guardians defeated the slumping Detroit Tigers 4-1 in the opener of a doubleheader Monday.
Cleveland, which leads the American League Central, has won eight of its last nine games entering the nightcap. The Tigers have lost eight straight.
Gimenez had three hits, including his 13th home run, while Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez supplied two hits and an RBI. The Guardians’ Myles Straw scored two runs and stole two bases.
Cleveland right-hander Aaron Civale struck out a season-high 10 batters in six innings. He gave up one run on three hits and issued just one walk.
James Karinchak (1-0) pitched an inning of scoreless relief and got the win after he was reinstated from the restricted list earlier Monday. Emmanuel Clase pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 27th save.
Detroit starter Drew Hutchison gave up one run and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Will Vest (3-3) took the loss after he was charged with two of the Guardians’ three seventh-inning runs.
The Tigers struck out 13 times and have struck out 10 or more times in seven consecutive games.
Detroit got off to a quick start. Riley Greene led off the game with a single and moved to third on Javier Baez’s one-out double. Greene scored on Harold Castro’s groundout.
Gimenez and Oscar Gonzalez had base hits in the bottom of the second, but Cleveland failed to score as Owen Miller then hit into a double play and Nolan Jones struck out.
Ramirez and Gimenez led off the fourth for the Guardians with singles. After a fielder’s choice, Miller walked to load the bases. Hutchison struck out Jones again and Austin Hedges grounded out, leaving the score at 1-0.
The Guardians broke through in the fifth. Straw singled, stole second and scored on Ramirez’s two-out single to right field.
Gonzalez led off the sixth for Cleveland with a double off the top of the wall in left-center but was left stranded.
Gimenez finally gave Cleveland the lead in the seventh. Straw led off with a walk and Steven Kwan followed with a single. After a fielder’s choice and a strikeout, Gimenez smoked a slider off Andrew Chafin for a home run to right estimated at 410 feet.
–Field Level Media
