Other Sports

Tigers thrash Indians 12-3

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-06 16:08

DETROIT, July 5 - The Detroit Tigers handed Cleveland a 12-3 drubbing on Thursday and moved to within a game of the first-placed Indians in the American League Central.

The Tigers pounded out 17 hits, including three home runs, off Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia, who was the first pitcher to reach 12 wins this season.

Detroit's Justin Verlander got the better of Sabathia as the Tigers took the last two games of the three-game series between the division rivals.

Sabathia and Verlander are possible starters for next week's All-Star Game, but Sabathia was not concerned his poor outing could have hurt his chances.

"I'm more disappointed we didn't win the series," Sabathia told reporters. "Starting the All-Star Game would be nice, but I don't think about that in a big series like this."

The game was billed as a marquee pitching match-up between two of the league's top pitchers, but the Tigers handed Sabathia his worst loss of the season, pounding him for seven runs on 10 hits in just four innings.

Sabathia (12-3) struck out three and walked one and left trailing 7-1. The Tigers added another five runs in the sixth to turn the game into a rout.

"Sabathia wasn't as sharp as he normally is," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said.

Gary Sheffield, Carlos Guillen and Placido Polanco all homered for the Tigers, with Guillen driving in four runs and Polanco and Magglio Ordonez each winding up with three hits.

That was more than enough support for Verlander (10-3), who allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over his seven innings.

Victor Martinez homered, had two hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Indians, who at 51-34 still lead the Tigers (49-34) by one game in the division.

*The New York Yankees edged the Minnesota Twins 7-6 despite the absence of Alex Rodriguez, who missed his first game of the season with a hamstring injury. Hideki Matsui hit a two-run homer in the eighth for the winning New York runs.

*The Boston Red Sox pounded out 21 hits and handed the Tampa Bay Devil Rays their 11th straight loss, a 15-4 pounding.