CLEVELAND -- The Indians dug themselves out of an early hole on Thursday night, showing the signature fight that has been on display all season, but Cleveland could not carry its comeback through to a much-needed victory.In the 11th inning, Indians reliever Josh Tomlin surrendered five runs, sending the Tribe on its way to an 11-4 loss to the Tigers in the finale of a four-game series at Progressive Field. 
With the defeat, Cleveland dropped three games in the critical set, missing an opportunity to gain ground in both the American League Central and Wild Card races.The loss knocked the Indians six games back of the first-place Royals in the Central and five games behind the Tigers in the chase for the AL's second Wild Card spot.Tomlin -- the seventh of eight pitchers used by Cleveland -- allowed five runs on three hits with two walks (one intentional) and retired only one batter before being pulled from the game in the 11th inning. Eugenio Suarez broke open a 4-4 deadlock with a two-run single, and Victor Martinez punctuated the rally with a three-run homer down the right-field line.The Tigers enjoyed a seven-run showing in the 11th inning before it was all said and done.It was a disheartening ending for the Indians, who refused to cave in after falling behind four runs in the first inning in a game that featured Detroit ace Max Scherzer. Long before Cleveland's extra-inning meltdown, Trevor Bauer's familiar first-inning woes returned against the Tigers.In a 38-pitch opening frame, Bauer surrendered four runs on four hits with three walks. With the bases loaded and one out, the Cleveland right-hander fired a wild pitch that allowed Ian Kinsler to score from third for Detroit's first run of the night. Bryan Holaday added a two-run single and Rajai Davis drove in one more with a base hit to push the Tribe into an early 4-0 hole.As has been the case more than a few times this season, though, Bauer settled down after a rough first inning.Bauer has yielded a Major League-high 20 runs in the first inning among starters with no more than 22 starts this season. That said, the 16 earned runs he has allowed have come within eight of his 22 turns in the rotation for Cleveland. In the remainder of those appearances, the young righty has spun a 1.58 ERA over 40 combined frames.That trend held true against the Tigers, who could not plate another run off Bauer in the wake of the early outburst. The starter rebounded from the ugly first inning with a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 showing in the second. Bauer dealt with minimal traffic the rest of the way, logging 5 2/3 innings and striking out four in what ultimately wound up being a no-decision.Against Scherzer, Cleveland began chipping away at its four-run deficit in the fourth inning, when Tribe catcher Yan Gomes delivered a sacrifice fly. In the sixth, Gomes knocked in another run with a groundout and Lonnie Chisenhall followed with an RBI single. All-Star Michael Brantley pulled the contest into a 4-4 deadlock with an RBI double off reliever Blaine Hardy in the seventh.Three of the runs were charged to Scherzer, who toiled through 124 pitches in his six innings of work.It was the kind of performance that had the makings of a miracle win for the Indians. Detroit had other ideas in the final game of a crucial divisional set.Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
With the defeat, Cleveland dropped three games in the critical set, missing an opportunity to gain ground in both the American League Central and Wild Card races.The loss knocked the Indians six games back of the first-place Royals in the Central and five games behind the Tigers in the chase for the AL's second Wild Card spot.Tomlin -- the seventh of eight pitchers used by Cleveland -- allowed five runs on three hits with two walks (one intentional) and retired only one batter before being pulled from the game in the 11th inning. Eugenio Suarez broke open a 4-4 deadlock with a two-run single, and Victor Martinez punctuated the rally with a three-run homer down the right-field line.The Tigers enjoyed a seven-run showing in the 11th inning before it was all said and done.It was a disheartening ending for the Indians, who refused to cave in after falling behind four runs in the first inning in a game that featured Detroit ace Max Scherzer. Long before Cleveland's extra-inning meltdown, Trevor Bauer's familiar first-inning woes returned against the Tigers.In a 38-pitch opening frame, Bauer surrendered four runs on four hits with three walks. With the bases loaded and one out, the Cleveland right-hander fired a wild pitch that allowed Ian Kinsler to score from third for Detroit's first run of the night. Bryan Holaday added a two-run single and Rajai Davis drove in one more with a base hit to push the Tribe into an early 4-0 hole.As has been the case more than a few times this season, though, Bauer settled down after a rough first inning.Bauer has yielded a Major League-high 20 runs in the first inning among starters with no more than 22 starts this season. That said, the 16 earned runs he has allowed have come within eight of his 22 turns in the rotation for Cleveland. In the remainder of those appearances, the young righty has spun a 1.58 ERA over 40 combined frames.That trend held true against the Tigers, who could not plate another run off Bauer in the wake of the early outburst. The starter rebounded from the ugly first inning with a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 showing in the second. Bauer dealt with minimal traffic the rest of the way, logging 5 2/3 innings and striking out four in what ultimately wound up being a no-decision.Against Scherzer, Cleveland began chipping away at its four-run deficit in the fourth inning, when Tribe catcher Yan Gomes delivered a sacrifice fly. In the sixth, Gomes knocked in another run with a groundout and Lonnie Chisenhall followed with an RBI single. All-Star Michael Brantley pulled the contest into a 4-4 deadlock with an RBI double off reliever Blaine Hardy in the seventh.Three of the runs were charged to Scherzer, who toiled through 124 pitches in his six innings of work.It was the kind of performance that had the makings of a miracle win for the Indians. Detroit had other ideas in the final game of a crucial divisional set.Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
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