Tigers 4, Indians 1: Alfredo Simon dominates Cleveland offense

DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers' offense finally awoke, and timely hitting helped snap a four-game losing streak. Backed by a strong start by Alfredo Simon and Victor Martinez's bat, the Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians 4-1, improving their record to 12-6 for the season.

Simon (4-0) was the first Tigers pitcher to start the 2015 season with four wins. After getting out of a two-on, two-out threat in the first, Simon settled down and allowed just one run in his 6 2/3 innings of work. The Indians got two stolen bases off the Tigers, but the only runner to score came in the third. Tom Gorzelanny entered in relief of Simon and pitched 1 1/3 innings of two-hit ball. Joakim Soria pitched a 1-2-3 ninth and recorded his sixth save of the season.

After scoring just 10 runs in their previous five games, the Tigers offense made an appearance on Saturday. Victor Martinez drove in three of the four runs with singles in his first two at bats. A double by Ian Kinsler in the fourth made the score 4-1 at the time, answering Cleveland's only run a half inning later.

Jose Iglesias, while he finished 1-for-4 for the day at the plate, was putting on a show defensively. Miguel Cabrera was walked four times for the first time of his career, and Rajai Davis had an impressive day at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with a walk and scoring three times.

ROARS:

Alfredo Simon: The righthander gave up just one run on six hits in 6 2/3 innings pitched, walking two and striking out three. He allowed just one extra-base hit, a leadoff double in the sixth inning.

Victor Martinez: An infield single by Davis and back-to-back walks by Ian Kinsler and Miguel Cabrera loaded the bases for Martinez. The DH broke an 0-for-13 skid by knocking a two-run single to right field, giving the Tiger an early lead. He also knocked an RBI single in the third inning, giving him three RBI for the day.

Rajai Davis: Two singles, including an infield hit Davis just barely beat out, a walk, and three stolen bases. He scored on all three occasions and finished 2-for-3 with a walk for the day. He also reached on an error by the Indians' shortstop in the eighth.

Bullpen: It did not collapse and allowed just two hits. You can't ask for more than that.

HISSES:

J.D. Martinez: Had a particularly un-JD-like day. The BABIP gods have not treated J.D. kindly as of late, regardless of how hard he's hitting the ball. Saturday he finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and a double play grounded into when the bases were loaded with no outs.

Nick Castellanos: Also finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

STREAKS AND STATS:

• Rajai Davis stole three bases Saturday afternoon, giving him six stolen base for the season, giving him the team lead over Jose Iglesias, who got his fifth of the season in the sixth. As a team the Tigers now have an AL-leading 19 stolen bases, second overall in MLB to the Cincinnati Reds (20).
• Davis two-stolen base game also handed him his second multi-stolen base game of the season. He also stole two bases on April 12 at Cleveland.
• The Tigers' five stolen bases in a game marked their most in a game since Sept. 5, 2007, against the White Sox.
• Victor Martinez's two-hit, three-RBI day marked the third multi-hit game of the season for Martinez.
• Davis extended his hitting streak to eight games, which marks a personal best for the season and is tied for the third-longest active hitting streak in the AL. It was also the second multi-hit game of the season for him.
• Miguel Cabrera's three intentional walks mark the fourth time since 1914 a Tiger has been intentionally walked three times in a game. The last Tigers player to be intentionally walked three times was Cabrera on August 15, 2010 at Chicago against the White Sox.
• Cabrera's three-walk game is the second of his career, and his four-walk day is a career-first. Cabrera is also the first four-walk game by a Tiger since Matt Tuiasosopo did it on May 19, 2013 at Texas against the Rangers.

WIN PROBABILITY GRAPH:

Source: FanGraphs