J.D. Martinez drove in three runs, helping the Tigers take advantage of a rough outing for Indians starter Trevor Bauer in a 9-2 rout of Cleveland in the second game of a doubleheader on Sunday at Progressive Field.
The Indians (70-71) won the opener of Sunday’s twin bill, 7-2, and sit 4 1/2 games behind the Rangers in the race for the American League’s second Wild Card spot.
Martinez (3-for-5), Rajai Davis (2-for-5 with two RBIs) and Dixon Machado (2-for-3 with two RBIs) powered a Detroit attack that snapped the Indians’ seven-game home winning streak. The bulk of the damage came against Bauer, who was charged with six runs on seven hits in three-plus innings.
Bauer has a 7.63 ERA in his last seven starts and has worked fewer than four innings in four of those outings.
“We win the first game, come out and get an early lead in the second game,” Bauer said. “To not be able to at least protect that lead, or keep it close going into the later innings, is frustrating. You know, it [stinks] from a team perspective, obviously, because wins are at a premium for us right now. I felt like I need to perform better to help the team win.”
Left-hander Randy Wolf also lasted just three innings for the Tigers. Wolf allowed only two runs on four hits, but a long first inning saw his pitch count climb to 93. Cleveland struck for a pair of runs in the opening inning against Wolf, but the Tribe’s lineup was held in check the rest of the way.
Click here to read more of this story.
About Marion Online Sports
