Cleveland Indians shut down Detroit Tigers

CLEVELAND -- Three pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout as the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 4-0 on Saturday night at Progressive Field.

Cleveland starter Mike Clevinger (5-3) pitched six innings and allowed three hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Andrew Miller pitched two innings and retired all six batters he faced, and Cody Allen worked the ninth.

Detroit starter Justin Verlander (5-6) pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run and six hits with six strikeouts and four walks.

Leading 1-0, the Indians added three insurance runs in the eighth inning. With one out, Lonnie Chisenhall drew a walk from reliever Bruce Rondon. Carlos Santana followed with a double into the gap in right-center field, scoring Chisenhall.

Santana went to third on a throwing error by second baseman Ian Kinsler, then scored when Bradley Zimmer drove a triple into the same right-center field gap to make it 3-0. Yan Gomes followed with a sacrifice fly to score Zimmer, extending the lead to 4-0.

The Indians' first three hits were doubles. Jason Kipnis doubled leading off the first inning but was left stranded. Santana doubled with two outs in the second but was left on base, as was Chisenhall after a two-out double in the fourth.

J.D. Martinez led off the Detroit second with a double, but Clevinger retired Victor Martinez on a fly ball, Nicholas Castellanos on a groundout and Mikie Mahtook on a strikeout to end the inning.

Verlander held Cleveland scoreless on three hits through the first four innings, but the Indians broke the scoreless tie in the fifth.

After Verlander struck out the first two batters of the inning, Francisco Lindor singled and scored on a double by Michael Brantley into the gap in right-center field, giving Cleveland a 1-0 lead.

NOTES: Indians manager Terry Francona was discharged from Cleveland Clinic, where on Thursday he underwent a procedure to correct a cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). He will spend the All-Star break resting at his residence in Cleveland, then rejoin the Indians in Oakland on July 14, their first game after the break. Bench coach Brad Mills will continue to manage the team in Francona's absence. ... Indians 2B Jason Kipnis left the game in the third inning with a strained right hamstring. ... Indians 1B Carlos Santana was activated off the paternity list. He missed the previous three games. ... Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera (1,594) needs three RBIs to pass Mike Schmidt (1,595) and George Brett (1,596) for 32nd place in MLB history. ... Detroit RHP Michael Fulmer, who will start Sunday night, is 1-2 with a 6.98 ERA in four career starts against Cleveland.