CLEVELAND, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Brandon Inge contributed the first of three straight RBI singles in a four-run fourth Thursday and Detroit survived a shaky ninth to nip Cleveland 6-5.
The Indians lost their 11th straight, falling to a team that picked up a key three-game sweep in its bid to claim a division title.
Detroit moved three games in front of idle Minnesota in the American League Central with 10 games to play. The Tigers and Twins will meet four times next week in Detroit.
Inge, Gerald Laird and Ramon Santiago had consecutive run-scoring singles in the fourth and Curtis Granderson drove in another run with a fielder's-choice grounder to give the Tigers a 4-2 lead.
Detroit had a 6-3 advantage going into the bottom of the ninth and Fernando Rodney was summoned to protect the cushion.
Rodney, however, gave up a two-out walk to Jamey Carroll and Shin-Soo Choo homered to right to bring the Indians within one. Travis Hafner followed with a single to center, then Jhonny Peralta hit a line drive right to Inge at third base for the final out.
Rodney earned his 35th save and protected the win for Justin Verlander (17-9), who gave up two runs on seven hits in seven innings. Verlander struck out 11.
Carlos Carrasco (0-3) took the loss, surrendering four runs on six hits in five innings. Carrasco, obtained in a trade with Philadelphia this season, started his fourth game and is still looking for his first major league victory.
