Shin-Soo Choo #17 of the Cleveland Indians celebrates scoring in the third inning / (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Reporting Matt Loede
DETROIT (92.3 The Fan) – The Indians gave pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez a couple extra days rest to try to continue to work some of the issues that have plagued him all of 2012.
Consider it at least for one night – mission accomplished.
Jimenez pitched a gem, throwing 6.2 innings, holding the Tigers to one run on five hits, walking one and striking out four as the Indians topped the Tigers 4-2.
The win over Detroit is the fourth straight for the Indians over the Tigers, and breaks a seven-game losing streak at Comerica Park dating back to last season.
The Indians move to 29-25 on the year, dropping the Tigers to 25-30.
The outing was a shock to say the least as Jimenez going into Tuesday’s outing had an ERA on the road of 9.00 (24 ER in 24 innings). He allowed a first inning run, but was lights out after that.
The offense had their issues early off Detroit lefty Drew Smyly, but caught up with him and belted three RBI triples to earn their four runs.
Smyly struck out the side in the first and then Carlos Santana to start the second, but by the third they caught up with him to tie the game at one.
Lou Marson singled with one out, and was eliminated by a fielder’s choice by Shin-Soo Choo. Asdrubal Cabrera smashed a triple to dead center, bringing Choo around to score to tie the game at one.
The Tribe made it 2-1 in the fifth, as Matt LaPorta singled to start the inning, but was out on a fielder’s choice by Lonnie Chisenhall.
Marson came through though, as he slammed a triple that brought Chisenhall around to give the Indians a 2-1 lead. Choo then lined a breaking ball from Smyly for a single that made it 3-1.
With Jimenez rolling, at one point setting down 16 of 17, the Indians added another run to give them a three-run cushion in the 6th.
With two outs Shelley Duncan drew a walk, and then Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to 13 games, as he hit another triple to right center that brought Duncan home to make it 4-1.
The bullpen did the rest against the Tigers, as Nick Hagadone threw one pitch in the 7th to get out of a two-on with two-out jam.
Vinnie Pestano pitched a 1-2-3 eighth with a pair of strikeouts, and Chris Perez allowed the Tigers a run, but was able with the help of a huge play at short by Cabrera to get out of the inning with his 18th save.
Wednesday night the Indians will go with Jeanmar Gomez as he looks for his 4th win of the season against Max Scherzer who is 5-3 with a 5.55 ERA at 7:05pm.
