"I can't explain it," manager Brad Ausmus said regarding success at Progressive Field. "I can't give you an answer for that."
Ausmus does not understand why the Detroit Tigers dominate the Cleveland Indians, but he is just happy they are winning baseball games.
The Tigers rode a six-run fifth inning to provide a cushion for their 7-3 victory against the Indians at Progressive Field. With the win, Detroit improved their record to 37-34 and currently lead the series two games to none.
"It doesn't bother me how we score six runs," Ausmus said.
Andrew Romine got the party started in the third inning, as he homered to right field for the second time in three games. It was the fourth career home run from the shortstop.
In the fifth inning, the Indians had an easy inning ending double play, but Danny Salazar whiffed on an attempt to throw home. The bases were loaded and it was an easy force and toss down to first base, but everyone was safe and the Tigers added a run.
"I tried to rush on the play. Instead of taking the ball out of glove I tried to take it to my hand, that's when I lost it and gave away the game," Salazar said.
Later in the fifth, Victor Martinez singled to left to score Rajai Davis. Yoenis Cespedes provided a two-RBI single to give the Tigers a 5-1 lead. Nick Castellanos broke things open for Detroit with a double to right field scoring both V. Martinez and Cespedes.
Salazar, the starting pitcher for the Indians, went 4.1 innings, but could not make it past the fifth inning. He gave up seven runs (six earned runs) on six hits and three walks. Now 6-3 with a 4.06 ERA, Salazar struck out eight, but gave up too many hard hits, which led to his departure.
The Tigers sent David Price to toe the slab on Tuesday. He gave up more hits than normal, but was still dominant. Price went 6.2 innings and gave up just one run on nine hits. The southpaw struck out seven and tossed 114 pitches. Price, who got the win, is now 7-2 with a 2.42 ERA.
"I started out good, but the third and fourth inning, not so much," Price said. "The fourth inning was very long, but in the fifth the offense helped me out a lot by putting up a six ball, and we were able to take advantage of the mistake by Salazar."
Alex Wilson came on in the ninth with a 7-1 lead in favor of the Tigers. He struggled, giving up two runs on three hits. However, none of them were earned runs because of an easy double play blown by Castellanos. Eventually, Wilson finished the job and the Tigers walked away with the win.