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Thursday, May 25 7:05pm ET
Burba improves to 6-0 against Detroit | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
DETROIT (AP) -- Dave Burba gave Cleveland a strong game just when the Indians needed one. But, why wouldn't he? Burba never loses to Detroit. David Justice and Jim Thome homered and Burba continued his mastery over the Tigers as the Indians snapped Detroit's four-game winning streak with a 4-1 victory Thursday night. "That was big, the way Burba came on," Thome said. "He gave us a lift. We needed a win and he gave us a good game." Burba (4-1), seeking his first decision in five starts since April 28, held the Tigers to four hits with five walks and seven strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. Burba, who was 3-0 against Detroit last season, improved to 6-0 lifetime against the Tigers with a nice combination of speed and breaking pitches. "Burba gave us exactly what we needed," Cleveland manager Charlie Manuel said. "When he threw the fastball, he threw it for strikes. Most of the time, though, he had them chasing the ball." Brian Moehler (1-3), making his second start since an emergency appendectomy April 22, gave up three runs on eight hits with no walks in 7 1/3 innings. In his last two starts, however, the Tigers haven't scored any runs for Moehler. "That's the way it goes," Moehler said. "I could go out next time and get 10 runs. I know it's not like the guys aren't trying." The well-pitched contest followed free-swinging 10-4 and 10-9 Detroit wins in the first two games of the three-game series. "Any time you hold Cleveland to three runs for a seven-inning stint, you've done a pretty good job," Detroit manager Phil Garner said. "They pitched a little bit better than we did." After Omar Vizquel grounded into a first-inning double play, Justice -- moved from sixth to third in the order in a lineup change just before the game -- homered into the right-field bullpen. The game settled into a nice pitching duel between Burba and Moehler, who had allowed only seven hits between them until the seventh. In the sixth, the Tigers had runners on first and second with one out after Burba walked two. But the threat fizzled when Bobby Higginson struck out and Gregg Jefferies was caught trying to steal third for an inning-ending double play. Manny Ramirez started the two-run Cleveland seventh with a double and Thome followed with a long homer, his 13th, over the wall near the flagpole in left-center on a 3-0 pitch. "This ballpark's too small for Thome," Manuel said, laughing. "Man, he's strong. He'll hit the ball out of the park anywhere." Ramirez tripled and scored on Richie Sexson's sacrifice fly in the ninth. Burba gave up a single and a walk in the Detroit eighth and reliever Steve Karsay was greeted by Gregg Jefferies' RBI single. Karsay finished for his ninth save. Game notesCleveland's lineup changes were necessary because Kenny Lofton, who was leading off in the original lineup, was scratched shortly before the game with a sore left elbow. ... Indians RHP Jaret Wright, who went on the 15-day disabled list May 18, will return to start Saturday against the Chicago White Sox. ... Roberto Alomar extended his hitting streak to 17 straight games. ... The Indians have homered in 16 straight games, two shy of the club record set in 1959 and matched in 1996. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Cleveland Clubhouse Detroit Clubhouse RECAPS Anaheim 3 Minnesota 1
Cleveland 4
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