DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera went from the disabled list to rounding the bases with the 450th home run of his career.
In the star slugger's first game since being sidelined, the Detroit Tigers weren't taking any chances with his health.
Cabrera was activated after missing the minimum of 10 days with a strained right groin. On a cold, damp night, he left Detroit's 5-2 win over the Cleveland Indians for a defensive replacement after seven innings.
"His groin tightened up a little bit, so we played it cautious and got him out of there," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We expect that he'll be fine."
Justin Verlander (2-2) won for the first time since opening day, allowing two runs and four hits while walking four in seven innings. He struck out five, and has given up just two earned runs in 14 innings over his last two starts.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth, and allowed a pair of baserunners before retiring Francisco Lindor for his seventh save.
Corey Kluber (3-2) gave up five runs and seven hits with a walk in three innings. He struck out four before being removed with discomfort in his lower back.
"It has been bothering me off and on for a few starts now, but this was the first time I couldn't pitch through it," he said. "You have to balance trying to keep going against causing more damage."
Indians manager Terry Francona said the team would wait until Kluber comes to the park Wednesday to make any decisions about a roster move.
The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on two singles, a walk and a bases-loaded wild pitch by Verlander, but Victor Martinez tied it in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single.
Alex Avila singled off the left-field fence in the second, moved up on Jim Adduci's groundout and scored on Andrew Romine's double.
Cabrera made it 4-1 in the third, hitting a line drive off the bullpen shelter beyond the left-field fence for his sixth career homer against Kluber.
"I'm not normally on the disabled list -- this is only my second time," he said. "It felt good to help us win a game."
Avila's single later in the inning drove in Justin Upton and gave the Tigers a four-run lead.
Lonnie Chisenhall's sixth-inning triple pulled the Indians within three runs at 5-2, but Verlander retired Abraham Almonte to end the inning.
The Indians bullpen pitched five no-hit innings, striking out seven, but the offense couldn't take advantage.
"Those guys were tremendous," Francona said. "We barely did anything offensively, but they gave us a chance to take a run at tying the game in the ninth."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: CF Austin Jackson was placed on the 10-day disabled list after hyperextending the big toe on his left foot in the ninth inning of Monday's loss. Cleveland replaced him by recalling RHP Shawn Armstrong from Triple-A Columbus.
Tigers: RF J.D. Martinez has plateaued in his recovery from a sprained right foot, but Tigers manager Brad Ausmus didn't want to call it a setback. "No, I wouldn't characterize it as that," he said. "I don't know. He's been day-to-day for a few weeks now. He'll be back when he's back."
SIMPLY THE BEST
Kluber struggled with many of his pitches, but was pleased with the fastball that Cabrera drove into the bullpen. The pitch was inside, several inches off the plate.
"That's why he's the best hitter of our generation," he said.
BETTER LUCK AGAINST CLEVELAND
The Tigers are 4-1 against the Indians this season. Last season, they lost their first 11 games to Cleveland and finished the season series at 4-14 -- the main reason they missed a wild-card berth on the season's final weekend.
"Their pitchers did a great job of holding down our offense last season," Cabrera said. "We need to win every game we can against them."
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 2.04) will go for his fifth straight quality start when he faces the Tigers on Wednesday night.
Tigers: LHP Matt Boyd (2-1, 3.86) will try to beat the Indians for the second time this season on Wednesday. He allowed one run on seven hits in six innings in an April 16 victory.




Final
Series: Game 2 of 3

Indians 2

(14-12, 8-6 away)

Tigers 5

(14-12, 9-6 home)







7:10PM,EDT,May 2,2017
Comerica Park, Detroit,Michigan 

123456789 R H E
CLE 100001000 2 6 0
DET 11300000 - 5 7 0
W: J. Verlander (2-2)
L: C. Kluber (3-2)
S: F. Rodriguez (7)





View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-PitchInning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Cleveland - Top of 1stSCORE
Justin Verlander pitching for DetroitCLEDET
Santana singled to deep right.00
Lindor lined out to center.00
Brantley singled to deep right, Santana to second.00
Encarnación popped out to second.00
Ramírez walked, Santana to third, Brantley to second.00
Santana scored, Brantley to third, Ramírez to second on wild pitch by Verlander.10
Kipnis struck out swinging.10
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Bottom of 1stSCORE
Corey Kluber pitching for ClevelandCLEDET
Kinsler doubled to deep left.10
Castellanos grounded out to second.10
Cabrera flied out to right, Kinsler to third.10
V. Martínez singled to right, Kinsler scored.11
Upton struck out looking.11
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Top of 2ndSCORE
Justin Verlander pitching for DetroitCLEDET
Chisenhall struck out swinging.11
Almonte struck out swinging.11
Gomes popped out to second.11
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Bottom of 2ndSCORE
Corey Kluber pitching for ClevelandCLEDET
Collins struck out swinging.11
Avila singled to deep left.11
Adduci grounded out to second, Avila to second.11
Romine doubled to left center, Avila scored.12
Kinsler struck out looking.12
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Top of 3rdSCORE
Justin Verlander pitching for DetroitCLEDET
Santana walked.12
Lindor struck out swinging.12
Brantley flied out to left.12
Encarnación flied out to left.12
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Bottom of 3rdSCORE
Corey Kluber pitching for ClevelandCLEDET
Castellanos singled to center.12
Cabrera homered (371 feet) to left center, Castellanos scored.14
V. Martínez grounded out to pitcher.14
Upton walked.14
Upton stole second.14
Collins struck out swinging.14
Avila singled to center, Upton scored.15
Adduci grounded into fielder's choice to second, Avila out at second.15
3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Top of 4thSCORE
Justin Verlander pitching for DetroitCLEDET
Ramírez popped out to second.15
Kipnis lined out to right.15
Chisenhall flied out to center.15
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Bottom of 4thSCORE
Shawn Armstrong pitching for ClevelandCLEDET
Armstrong relieved Kluber.15
Romine walked.15
Kinsler grounded into fielder's choice to second, Romine out at second.15
Castellanos struck out looking.15
Cabrera grounded out to shortstop.15
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Top of 5thSCORE
Justin Verlander pitching for DetroitCLEDET
Almonte struck out looking.15
Gomes singled to deep right.15
Santana flied out to center.15
Lindor walked, Gomes to second.15
Brantley flied out to center.15
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Bottom of 5thSCORE
Shawn Armstrong pitching for ClevelandCLEDET
V. Martínez hit by pitch.15
Upton struck out swinging.15
Collins flied out to left.15
Avila struck out looking.15
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Top of 6thSCORE
Justin Verlander pitching for DetroitCLEDET
Encarnación lined out to left.15
Ramírez walked.15
Kipnis popped out to first.15
Chisenhall tripled to deep right center, Ramírez scored.25
Almonte grounded out to first.25
1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Bottom of 6thSCORE
Shawn Armstrong pitching for ClevelandCLEDET
Adduci flied out to center.25
Romine flied out to left.25
Goody relieved Armstrong.25
Kinsler fouled out to catcher.25
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Top of 7thSCORE
Justin Verlander pitching for DetroitCLEDET
Gomes flied out to right.25
Santana grounded out to first.25
Lindor flied out to center.25
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Bottom of 7thSCORE
Nick Goody pitching for ClevelandCLEDET
Castellanos walked.25
Cabrera grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Castellanos out at second.25
V. Martínez flied out to left.25
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Top of 8thSCORE
Justin Wilson pitching for DetroitCLEDET
Iglesias at shortstop.25
Romine at first base.25
J. Wilson relieved Verlander.25
Brantley grounded out to third.25
Encarnación struck out looking.25
Ramírez reached on infield single to third.25
Kipnis struck out looking.25
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Detroit - Bottom of 8thSCORE
Nick Goody pitching for ClevelandCLEDET
Upton struck out looking.25
Logan relieved Goody.25
Collins struck out looking.25
Avila struck out looking.25
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Top of 9thSCORE
Francisco Rodriguez pitching for DetroitCLEDET
Rodríguez relieved J. Wilson.25
Chisenhall grounded out to shortstop.25
Almonte struck out swinging.25
Gomes doubled to deep right.25
Gomes to third on wild pitch by Rodríguez.25
Santana walked.25
Santana to second on fielder's indifference.25
Lindor popped out to third.25
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors





Cleveland Indians

HittersABRHRBIBBSO#PAVGOBPSLG
Santana 1B31102025.226.333.358
Lindor SS40001121.294.368.598
Brantley LF40100018.298.366.524
Encarnación DH40000110.204.336.344
Ramírez 3B21102019.320.387.567
Kipnis 2B40000219.143.189.143
Chisenhall CF40110111.298.333.532
Almonte RF40000324.279.397.410
Gomes C40200019.200.290.309
Totals3326158166   
BATTING
2B: Gomes (3, Rodríguez)
3B: Chisenhall (1, Verlander)
RBI: Chisenhall (13)
2-out RBI: Chisenhall
Indians RISP: 0-5 (Kipnis 0-1, Brantley 0-1, Encarnación 0-1, Almonte 0-1, Lindor 0-1)
Team LOB: 9
FIELDING
DP: 1 (Lindor-Kipnis-Santana).

Game Notes

SP KLUBER (LOWER BACK DISCOMFORT) LEFT GAME BOT 4TH

Game Information

StadiumComerica Park, Detroit, MI
Attendance21,799 (52.4% full) - % is based on regular season capacity
Game Time3:14
Weather47 degrees, cloudy
Wind21 mph
UmpiresHome Plate - Chris Guccione, First Base - Carlos Torres, Second Base - Dana DeMuth, Third Base - Paul Nauert