Indians clip Tigers on Reynolds' pinch-hit RBI

DETROIT -- Mark Reynolds played hero for the Cleveland Indians even on his day off.

Reynolds, who had played in 33 of Cleveland's first 34 games, wasn't in the starting lineup Sunday to get a little breather with a doubleheader coming up Monday against the New York Yankees.

Called upon in the 10th inning, though, Reynolds came through with an RBI single to left that drove in the run that gave the Indians a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers and wins in two of their three weekend games.

"He'd better get a hit, wearing those shoes," manager Terry Francona said, taking a joking swipe at the pink shoes his power-hitting infielder was wearing to observe Breast Cancer Awareness day. "I know it's a good cause, but those are ugly."

Reynolds profiles as a home run hitter who strikes out a ton, but this year is also a high-average hitter, batting .291 to go with 11 home runs and 32 RBI.

"He's that veteran who just wants to play," Francona said of a player he uses at first, third and DH. "I move him around the infield -- and he does it willingly. He's the kind of guy you can win with."

He was exactly that guy on Sunday and Cleveland closed out the victory minus the use of closer Chris Perez, who had saved Saturday night's win.

"I told him to get up and throw and give me an honest assessment," Francona said. "He was pretty good about it."

Perez said he wasn't quite comfortable so Francona said, "we decided to win another way. He was honest about it. Remember, he pitched 12 hours ago."

The Cleveland manager brought in lefty Rich Hill to get Prince Fielder (left) and Victor Martinez (switch) out then shifted to right-hander Cody Allen when manager Jim Leyland sent right-handed hitting Matt Tuiasosopo to pinch-hit for Don Kelly.

"That's a whole lot of power up there. Tuiasosopo was up there for one reason," Francona said of why he switched pitchers. Allen fanned Tuiasosopo on a 2-2 fastball to end the game and earn his first save.

Joe Smith (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win. Darin Downs (0-1) pitched the 10th and took the loss.

Detroit took a 3-2 lead into the ninth with closer Jose Valverde, who had not allowed a hit in any of his previous five games this season.

Pinch-hitter Michael Bourn walked to lead off the inning and stole second off Valverde. He got the next two outs but walked pinch-hitter Jason Giambi before Brantley lined a 1-1 fastball to left.

It seemed the Tigers were out of a jam when drawn-in shortstop Jhonny Peralta threw out Asdrubal Cabrera at the plate trying to score on Bourn's slow topped roller to shallow short.

Manager Jim Leyland tried to deflect criticism of Valverde, whose ineffectiveness in the playoffs last year drew intense booing, saying he knew the tendency was going to be to blame the closer for blowing a save.

"My personal opinion is he's done a pretty good job since he's been back," Leyland said. "The guy put a good swing on the pitch. He stayed inside and went the other way. But overall, he's pitched well."

Omar Infante's tiebreaking, fourth-inning sacrifice fly gave Detroit a 3-2 lead it protected with three relievers until the ninth.

Rick Porcello gave up a two-run double to Jason Kipnis in the third and a critical double play bailed him out of a jam in the sixth.

A leadoff double and two one-out walks loaded the bases for Cleveland, but Porcello got Asdrubal Cabrera to hit into a double play, with second baseman Infante snagging his scalded one-hop liner right above shoulder level, turning it into the inning-ending play.

The tiebreaking run in the fourth was unearned as a result of Lonnie Chisenhall throwing away Peralta's grounder, which allowed him to reach second. Brayan Pena bounced a single up the middle that caromed sharply off the second-base bag, sending Peralta to third. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Infante off starter Zach McAllister.

The Indians had tied it on a two-run double in the third by Kipnis, a hit that sliced into the left-field corner. Yan Gomes had singled with one out and Brantley singled with two out.

Pena's two-run homer in the second gave the Tigers a brief 2-0 lead. Don Kelly singled leading off, was forced at second and scored on Pena's second home run of the season. He normally would play against a left-handed pitcher but got the start as manager Jim Leyland decided to rest Alex Avila in a day game that followed a night game.

NOTES: A day game after a night game is a favored time for managers to rest regulars, and both Cleveland and Detroit used Sunday to do so. The Indians' Francona rested Bourn until the ninth, with Drew Stubbs starting in center and Michael Brantley assuming the leadoff role. Nick Swisher remained at cleanup but as the DH and not in right field. Carlos Santana played first with Gomes catching and Reynolds not starting. Ryan Raburn played right in place of Swisher. Leyland rested Austin Jackson, bothered by a tight right hamstring, and played Kelly in center with Andy Dirks leading off. Pena started over Avila behind the plate. ... "He didn't have good command of his fastball," Leyland said of Saturday starter Justin Verlander, who walked five in a loss to Cleveland. "That's OK. That's allowed. He had a bad start. You can't expect players to do the job every time." ... The Indians will have to make a roster move, probably with a relief pitcher, when they call up right-hander Trevor Bauer to start Monday's second game against New York. ... The Tigers' ninth-place hitters, principally Infante, were hitting a league-best .321 entering Sunday. ... The bases-loaded walk that Jason Giambi drewSaturday night was the 24th of his career, but only the third issued by Verlander in his career.