Tigers 6, Indians 4
DETROIT -- Prince Fielder hit a three-run double and Andy Dirks added two run-scoring singles as the Detroit Tigers handed the Cleveland Indians their sixth straight loss, 6-4, at Comerica Park on Saturday.
Detroit scored all of its runs in the first three innings while extending its American League Central Division lead to 4½ games over second-place Cleveland.
Winning pitcher Rick Porcello (3-3) held the Indians, who have lost 10 consecutive road games, to one earned run on three hits in six innings while striking out seven.
Jose Valverde recorded his eighth save by striking out the last two batters.
Ex-Tiger Ryan Raburn hit a two-run home run for the Indians.
Losing pitcher Carlos Carrasco (0-2), who was recalled from Triple-A Columbus earlier in the day, gave up six runs on 10 hits in four-plus innings.
Cleveland manager Terry Francona was ejected during the eighth inning for arguing with home plate umpire Andy Fletcher, his second ejection in the last six games.
Fielder gave the Tigers a 4-1 lead in the second when he ripped a hanging breaking ball into the right-center field gap for his bases-loaded double.
Detroit added two runs off Carrasco in the third on a bases-loaded double play and Dirks' second RBI single.
Raburn's two-run home run to left-center field off reliever Luke Putkonen in the seventh cut the Tigers' lead to 6-4.
NOTES: Detroit's Anibal Sanchez will miss his scheduled start on Sunday because of right shoulder and upper back stiffness. Left-hander Jose Alvarez was called up on Saturday from Triple A Toledo, where he leads the International League with 76 strikeouts, and will make his major-league debut in Sanchez's place. Sanchez, who is 6-5 with a 2.65 ERA, is not expected to go on the disabled list. Alvarez, 24, was 5-4 with a 2.42 ERA in 12 starts for the Mud Hens and has pitched in the minors since 2006. Reliever Octavio Dotel was moved to the 60-day disabled list to make room on the 40-man roster. ... The Indians placed right-hander Zach McAllister is on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 3, because of sprained right middle finger. Francona expects McAllister, who is 4-5 with a 3.43 ERA in 11 starts, to be out two-to-four weeks. ... Carlos Carrasco is appealing an eight-game suspension from Major League Baseball for "intentionally throwing" at Kevin Youkilis of the Yankees in April. ... The Tigers selected Ben Verlander, younger brother of their ace, Justin Verlander, in the 14th round of the Major League Baseball draft on Saturday. Ben, a junior outfielder at Old Dominion, batted .367 with 11 home runs and 44 RBIs this season.
