08/27/2008 - Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kelly Shoppach and Shin-Soo Choo each hit a two-run homer to lead Cleveland to its 10th straight victory, as the Indians edged the Tigers, 9-7, in the finale of a three-game set.
Grady Sizemore ended with a pair of RBI for the Indians, who have won five of their last seven versus the Tigers. Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Garko drove in a run apiece in the win. Fausto Carmona (7-5) got the win after lasting six innings and giving up four runs on seven hits.
"I thought Fausto got better as the game wore on," said Indians manager Eric Wedge. "He did a very good job of settling down."
Curtis Granderson went 3-for-4 and notched his 17th career leadoff homer for the Tigers, who have dropped four in a row and five of their last seven. Magglio Ordonez went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and finished with three RBI in defeat. Justin Verlander (10-14) was tagged with the loss after getting touched for five runs on seven hits in six frames while fanning eight and walking three.
"I felt the best that I have all year tonight," Verlander said. "I had good stuff. It's funny, I had nothing in Kansas City in my last start and won and tonight I lost."
Cleveland took a 1-0 lead in the first as David Dellucci doubled, moved to third on Ben Francisco's ground out and crossed home when Peralta singled to left. Granderson led off the home half with a shot to left, and the game was knotted at one.
The Tribe got back to business in the second. Garko led off with a walk and Shoppach followed with a single before Andy Marte advanced them both into scoring position with a sac bunt. Two batters later, Sizemore plated them both with a single to center, making it 3-1.
In the bottom half, though, the Tigers went in front. It was second and third as Jeff Larish singled, Gary Sheffield walked and Edgar Renteria dropped down a sac bunt. Brandon Inge, Ramon Santiago and Granderson all clubbed RBI singles to give Detroit a 4-3 advantage.
The game tilted back in Cleveland's favor, 5-4, as Garko opened the fourth by getting drilled by a Verlander fastball and Shoppach followed with a homer to left.
Gary Glover came in to pitch for Detroit in the seventh and walked leadoff hitter Peralta before Choo took the first pitch he saw over the fence in right for a 7-4 Indians lead.
Granderson worked a one-out walk off Rafael Perez in the bottom half and Rafael Betancourt came on in relief to get Marcus Thames to go down swinging. Ordonez, though, belted an RBI double to the gap in right to pull the Tigers within two.
Cleveland tacked on two more insurance runs in the ninth as back-to-back RBI singles from Garko and Shoppach made it 9-5.
Ordonez crushed a two-out homer to right off Jensen Lewis in the ninth inning, which also scored Granderson, to pull Detroit within 9-7. But Miguel Cabrera went down swinging to end the game.
Game Notes
Carmona improved to 6-2 lifetime against Detroit and 3-0 this season...Since August 8, the Indians are 16-3...Sheffield is 0 for his last 16...Cleveland's team record for consecutive wins is 13. The Indians pulled within two games of .500 for the first time since May 21...The Tribe improved to 8-7 in their 15 matchups with the Tigers this season...Detroit recalled Larish from Triple-A Toledo and optioned pitcher Chris Lambert to Toledo prior to the game.
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St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Ludwick finished 3-for-4 with two runs
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JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.
Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.
MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .
''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''
Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.
He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.
''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''
Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.
With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.
Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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