Tigers pound first-place Guardians, win series

Riley Greene had three hits and drove in three runs, Gio Urshela supplied a three-run double and the host Detroit Tigers rolled past the Cleveland Guardians 10-1 on Thursday afternoon.

Carson Kelly had a solo homer as the Tigers won three of the four games in the series. Matt Vierling added two hits, a run scored and an RBI for Detroit, which is 6-1 over its last seven games.

Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (6-5), making his first appearance this month, limited Cleveland to one run and two hits in six innings. Flaherty, who has been battling a lower back injury, walked two and struck out four.

Spencer Howard (1-2) gave up four runs and seven hits in three innings in his Guardians debut. He was acquired from San Francisco for cash considerations last week. Bo Naylor homered for the American League Central leaders.

Wenceel Perez led off the bottom of the first with a single, stole second and scored on Greene's two-out single to right.

Detroit increased its lead to 3-0 in the second. Urshela and Javier Baez had one-out singles. Perez walked with two outs to load the bases and Colt Keith drew another walk to force in a run. Vierling's infield single scored Baez before Howard struck out Greene.

Cleveland got on the board in the third on Naylor's sixth homer. He hit a first-pitch slider over the right field wall.

The Tigers got that run back when Kelly led off the bottom of the inning with his seventh homer. He clubbed Howard's 1-0 fastball over the left field wall.

Detroit made it 6-1 against Pedro Avila in the fourth. Keith walked and Vierling doubled before Greene slapped an opposite-field single to score both runners.

The Tigers continued to feast on the Guardians' bullpen in the sixth. Detroit loaded the bases on an error, single and walk. Another walk drawn by Zach McKinstry forced in a run before Urshela's bases-clearing double down the left field line.

--Field Level Media