DETROIT -- With their ace laboring, Thursday's matinee with the Indians looked grim early for the Tigers.But following two walks to begin the home half of the fifth, Ian Kinsler continued his hot start with a three-run homer to left-center, propelling Detroit to a 7-5 win and further endearing himself to his new home fans. Kinsler's four RBIs proved to be a sizable jolt for the Tigers' offense, which had scored only nine combined runs in the previous four games. 
A sky-high pitch count -- 113 in just five innings -- ended Justin Verlander's afternoon early. Verlander's string of quality starts that stretched back to Sept. 7, 2013 finally came to an end, because he didn't last the requisite six innings. He struck out seven, walked four and surrendered six hits in his fourth start of the season and shortest since Aug. 27.Sloppy defense on the part of the Detroit infield, which made three errors, forced the Tigers to play from behind twice and did little to prevent the excess work for Verlander. Though all three runs scored on Verlander were unearned, he failed to help his own cause.Verlander's throwing error on a fourth-inning bunt single by Asdrubal Cabrera set up the Indians' first run. The following batter, David Murphy, blooped a single to left that a diving Rajai Davis barely missed securing, giving Cleveland an early one-run lead.The heart of the Detroit order quickly responded off Indians starter Danny Salazar in the bottom of the frame. Consecutive singles by Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez put runners on the corners, and Austin Jackson delivered a sacrifice fly to center that tied the game.With two men out in the fifth, Mike Aviles' grounder right at Tigers' third baseman Nick Castellanos passed right under the rookie's glove, extending the frame. Two batters later, Michael Brantley singled home a pair of runs and Cleveland led, 3-1.Kinsler ripped a run-scoring single in the sixth to extend the Tigers' lead to three. He doubled his season RBI total Thursday to eight.In the seventh, Ian Krol allowed a two-run homer to the first batter he faced, Brantley, who also had a four-RBI day. Cabrera followed by launching a shot to left that the wind blew just foul, nearly missing a game-tying homer.Joba Chamberlain replaced Krol with two outs in the seventh and promptly struck out Yan Gomes to end the inning. Chamberlain also pitched a scoreless eighth before Davis drove in a run with an infield single.Closer Joe Nathan shut the door in the ninth for his second save.Matt Slovin / MLB.com
A sky-high pitch count -- 113 in just five innings -- ended Justin Verlander's afternoon early. Verlander's string of quality starts that stretched back to Sept. 7, 2013 finally came to an end, because he didn't last the requisite six innings. He struck out seven, walked four and surrendered six hits in his fourth start of the season and shortest since Aug. 27.Sloppy defense on the part of the Detroit infield, which made three errors, forced the Tigers to play from behind twice and did little to prevent the excess work for Verlander. Though all three runs scored on Verlander were unearned, he failed to help his own cause.Verlander's throwing error on a fourth-inning bunt single by Asdrubal Cabrera set up the Indians' first run. The following batter, David Murphy, blooped a single to left that a diving Rajai Davis barely missed securing, giving Cleveland an early one-run lead.The heart of the Detroit order quickly responded off Indians starter Danny Salazar in the bottom of the frame. Consecutive singles by Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez put runners on the corners, and Austin Jackson delivered a sacrifice fly to center that tied the game.With two men out in the fifth, Mike Aviles' grounder right at Tigers' third baseman Nick Castellanos passed right under the rookie's glove, extending the frame. Two batters later, Michael Brantley singled home a pair of runs and Cleveland led, 3-1.Kinsler ripped a run-scoring single in the sixth to extend the Tigers' lead to three. He doubled his season RBI total Thursday to eight.In the seventh, Ian Krol allowed a two-run homer to the first batter he faced, Brantley, who also had a four-RBI day. Cabrera followed by launching a shot to left that the wind blew just foul, nearly missing a game-tying homer.Joba Chamberlain replaced Krol with two outs in the seventh and promptly struck out Yan Gomes to end the inning. Chamberlain also pitched a scoreless eighth before Davis drove in a run with an infield single.Closer Joe Nathan shut the door in the ninth for his second save.Matt Slovin / MLB.com
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