Miguel Cabrera beat Indians pitching again, allowing Alfredo Simon to beat Cleveland for the third time this season and allowing the Tigers to take the rubber match of the three-game series with an 8-1 win Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park despite Francisco Lindor’s first Major League hit.
Ian Kinsler’s bloop single put the Tigers ahead two batters into their opening inning, putting the Tigers in a battle with both Cleveland hitters and the oncoming weather system. Corey Kluber (3-8) settled down to retire eight batters in a row from there until Cabrera sent a no-doubt drive to left-center field for the second time this series, giving Detroit a 2-0 lead. A 1-hour, 51-minute delay did nothing to quiet Tigers bats, with J.D. Martinez delivering a three-run homer off Scott Atchison in the sixth to put the game away.
“He gave up a solo to Miggy,” Indians manager Terry Francona said of Kluber. “Other than that, he was good. Then, the rain came. He simulated an inning and then, once we had the next delay … that didn’t seem to make much sense [to have him keep pitching].”
Cabrera added singles in the sixth inning off Atchison and the eighth inning off Ryan Webb for his 10th three-hit game of the season. Half of those have come at Cleveland’s expense.
Simon (7-3), who beat the Indians twice in April, allowed three leadoff runners in his first four innings but had two inning-ending strikeouts and one double play to help halt Cleveland’s momentum and earn his third win in his past four starts.
“I feel great,” Simon said. “All my pitches are working real good right now. When I throw the ball down, everything works really good.”
Blaine Hardy rebounded from his loss Saturday to deliver two scoreless innings with two strikeouts before Brandon Moss broke up the shutout with a ninth-inning home run off Joakim Soria.
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