It's safe to say Brandon Moss likes playing at Comerica Park.
Moss went 3-for-5, homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs as the Indians crushed the Tigers 13-1 in the opener of a three-game series.
In 11 career games at Detroit's home park, Moss has produced like a Hall-of- Famer with seven home runs, six doubles, 22 RBI and a .465 batting average.
Plenty of his teammates contributed to the 15-hit attack. Michael Brantley had three hits, two runs scored and an RBI, Lonnie Chisenhall tacked on a two-run homer and Carlos Santana hit a two-run double and scored three times.
The outburst somewhat overshadowed another stellar start from Danny Salazar (2-0), who struggled in spring training and opened the season in the minors before being recalled last weekend. The 25-year-old righty struck out 10 Twins in his season debut and followed that up with a career-high 11 punchouts over seven innings against Detroit's potent lineup.
The Tigers managed just six hits against Salazar and dropped their fourth straight. Nick Castellanos' homer in the second frame provided their only run.
Shane Greene (3-1), after giving up one earned run over his first three starts, was touched for eight on nine hits in an abbreviated outing. He was pulled during Cleveland's six-run fifth inning without recording an out.
His struggles began early, as a single and a walk with two away preceded Moss' two-run gapper to left in the first inning.
Chisenhall hit a double in the second and came around on Jose Ramirez's sacrifice fly, and the floodgates opened in the fifth.
Jason Kipnis' dribbler up the third-base line stayed fair to load the bases, and a single by Brantley and double from Santana totaled three runs and ended Greene's outing.
The first pitch thrown by Alex Wilson was hammered deep into the right-field seats by Moss for three more runs. Al Alburquerque coughed up homers to Chisenhall and Moss in the eighth and ninth inning, respectively.
[SportsNetwork.com]
