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Indians 9, Tigers 6

CLEVELAND -- Michael Brantley's second home run of the game, a two-run shot, keyed a three-run eighth inning rally as the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 9-6 on Sunday.

Brantley's blast bailed out a Cleveland bullpen that blew a 6-1 lead in the seventh and eighth innings. The win snaps the Indians' four-game losing streak and the loss halts the five-game winning streak of the Tigers, whose American League Central lead over second-place Cleveland shrinks to 2 1/2 games.

With the score tied 6-6, Cleveland's Nick Swisher drew a leadoff walk in the eighth from reliever Al Alburquerque. Brantley, who was 3-for-4 with five RBI, then worked the count to 3-1 and belted the next pitch into the seats in right field for his seventh home run of the season, giving the Indians an 8-6 lead. A sacrifice fly by Drew Stubbs later in the inning stretched the lead to 9-6.

The win went to Cleveland reliever Cody Allen (4-1), and Alburquerque (1-2) took the loss. Chris Perez pitched the ninth inning for his ninth save.

Trailing 6-1, the Tigers scored two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth to tie it. All three runs in the eighth came on a home run by Torii Hunter off Vinnie Pestano.

Detroit's two-run seventh featured RBI singles by Hunter and Miguel Cabrera, who was 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.

Cabrera staked Detroit to a 1-0 lead with a home run in the first inning, but the Indians answered with a two-out, four-run rally in the bottom of the first.

After retiring the first two hitters of the inning Tigers starter Doug Fister walked the next two batters, Jason Kipnis and Swisher. Brantley then bounced a two-run double off the left field wall, giving Cleveland a 2-1 lead.

Carlos Santana followed Brantley's double with a home run into the seats in right field, his 11th homer of the year, extending the lead to 4-1.

The Indians made it 5-1 when Lonnie Chisenhall led off the bottom of the second by hitting a towering home run down the right field line, his fifth homer of the year.

After Cabrera's home run, Cleveland starter Corey Kluber was outstanding, holding Detroit to two runs and five hits while striking out a career-high 10 in 6 1/3 innings.

NOTES: Before Sunday's game, the Indians optioned pitcher Carlos Carrasco to Triple-A Columbus and called up right-handed reliever Preston Guilmet from Columbus. . . . Indians INF Mark Reynolds, serving as the DH was 0-for-3 and is now hitless in his last 23 at bats. .., Cabrera's home run in the first inning was his 31st home run in 405 career at-bats against the Indians. ... Cabrera and Prince Fielder executed a double steal in the sixth inning. It was Fielder's first stolen base of the season. He has one stolen base in each of the last four seasons.