Tigers 12, Indians 2: Michael Fulmer and the offense have had enough of Cleveland

The Tigers finally won a baseball game against the Indians and it wasn’t a close contest, either. Michael Fulmer silenced Cleveland’s bats, but it was the offense that obliterated the Tribe pitching. After 11 straight losses the Tigers won 12-2 over the Indians with a big day from Nick Castellanos.

After being outscored 77-24, the tables finally turned in Detroit’s favor. Fulmer kept the Indians quiet while Cameron Maybin put the Tigers on the board. Then, the offense clobbered Cleveland pitching in the fifth with a five-run inning — all with two outs — and they didn’t stop there. It was a long time coming, and it’s surprising that the Indians managed to get this deep into the year before being handed their first loss to Detroit.

Fulmer performed brilliantly despite an egregious outfield defense, and put an end to what has seemed like an unstoppable team all season long. Both runs were the result of bad plays made that resulted in a run scoring. Even with the runs, two walks allowed, and only two strikeouts, though, he gave up just five hits and only one of the runs was earned.

Fulmer had a high pitch count going against him because of the defense, but with the offense beating up on Cleveland it didn’t matter. The lead allowed Detroit to take him out of the game when the Tigers tacked on four more runs in the seventh, started by Nick Castellanos’ two-run double and capped by Steven Moya’s two-run single.

ROARS:

Michael Fulmer: Indians stopper. Would’ve had six shutout innings were it not for the indecent defense displayed in the outfield. He gave up just five hits and one earned run (two runs).

Tigers offense: FINALLY they got to Cleveland’s pitching in a big way. Twelve runs on 11 hits. The top five batters were 10-for-19 with nine runs driven in and two walks.

Nick Castellanos: Three hits, five runs, and a run scored. Just missed a grand slam in the seventh. Hit a three-run homer in the fifth.

Cameron Maybin: A two-run home run that hit the foul pole in left tied the game and got the offense going.

Tigers bullpen: For not giving up the lead. Three shutout innings of two-hit ball between Shane Greene, Kyle Ryan, and Bobby Parnell.

HISSES:

NONE

STATS AND INFO:

• Nick Castellanos’ five RBI tied a career high.
• Michael Fulmer had gone eight straight starts where he’d given up one run or less. That ended when he gave up two runs on Wednesday, although the second was unearned. However, because that second run was unearned, he now has nine straight starts with one earned run or fewer. Only 10 other pitchers have ever done that in the history of baseball.
• Leading into the game, Ian Kinsler had only six hits against Cleveland pitching, with three of those hits coming against today’s starter, Josh Tomlin. He got two more hits off Tomlin today, three total for the day when he singled in the seventh to start the inning.
• Cameron Maybin had been in a 1-for-12 slump in the last four games until his 2-for-4 day with the two-run shot.
• Miguel Cabrera was just 7-for-36 against the Indians this year, with no extra-base hits, four walks, and one RBI. He’d only had success against Tomlin — three hits — to that point. He still doesn’t have an extra-base hit, but he did drive in two runs in the fifth on an RBI single, and walked in the seventh. Still, it’s a complete departure from the Cabrera in the past, where he’s averaged .384 with a .637 slugging for the last 12 years.
• Nick Castellanos is one of only a couple Tigers players to hit Cleveland pitching well this year. Entering this game he was .324/.361/.529, and he tagged on another five RBI on three hits in Wednesday’s win.

WIN PROBABILITY GRAPH: