DETROIT, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Anibal Sanchez earned his first victory as a Tiger and Prince Fielder backed him with four RBI Friday in Detroit's 10-2 victory over Cleveland.
Sanchez (1-1), acquired in a trade from Miami last week, held Cleveland to two runs (one earned) on eight hits, picking up his first American League win in his second start for Detroit.
The Venezuelan right-hander worked around a pair of walks and struck out five as the Tigers took the first of a three-game series.
Fielder's two-run double in the third inning broke a 1-1 tie and put the Tigers ahead to stay. The big first baseman added a two-run homer to cap a four-run fourth inning that iced the contest.
Alex Avila went 2-for-4 with a pair of run-scoring hits and Miguel Cabrera added three hits, including a run-scoring single, for second-place Detroit, which came into the contest trailing the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox by 2 1/2 games.
Cleveland starter Justin Masterson (7-10) was tagged for seven runs on 10 hits over four innings.
Jason Kipnis and Shin-Soo Choo drove in runs for the Tribe, who dropped their seventh straight.
