Indians miss chances, lose 4-0 to Tigers

An epic collapse followed — 36 losses in 46 games.

And the Indians can't stop their descent.

On Friday night, Verlander pitched seven shutout innings, getting defensive help from beefy infielders Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera who snuffed Cleveland rallies and Detroit stayed one game behind first-place Chicago in the AL Central with a 4-0 win over the Indians.

After beating Verlander 5-3 on July 26, the Indians were within 3½ games of first, and as they left Progressive Field that day, Cleveland's players and fans rode an emotional wave they thought would continue.

Instead, it crashed.

"That's too far away," Indians manager Manny Acta said when asked if he reflected on this season's high point during his club's latest loss. "I don't think anybody's thinking that far back. We're trying to keep things in the present."

Detroit took a 4-0 lead after two innings against Cleveland starter Corey Kluber (1-4), who managed to hang around for five innings after two shaky ones.

"I had a plan to attack the hitters and they had a plan to attack me," said Kluber, who has struggled early in several starts. "I haven't realized it fast enough."

Coming through the way he almost always does, Verlander (14-8) allowed six hits and delivered another dominant performance. But if it wasn't for diving stops by Fielder and Cabrera, big men best known for their powerful bats, the right-hander could have been in trouble.

"Game-saving plays," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Everybody's going to talk about defense, but those guys made terrific plays on the corners."

Verlander had been scheduled to pitch Thursday in Chicago against White Sox ace Chris Sale. But rain postponed the series finale and marquee pitching matchup, pushing the AL's reigning Cy Young winner back. The one-day delay didn't have much affect on the Tigers' top gun, who on a chilly, October-like night, pitched as if it was the postseason.

Verlander needed some help, though, and got it from the unlikely pair of Fielder and Cabrera, beefy corner infielders who both came up golden with their gloves.

The Indians didn't get a runner to second until the fifth, when Casey Kotchman blooped a leadoff single and went to third on Lonnie Chisenhall's double.

Cleveland was threatening, but Verlander hardly seemed frightened.

He got Matt LaPorta on a weak tapper in front of the plate for the first out, then struck out Ezequiel Carrera, setting him up with a 99 mph fastball for strike two and then locking him up with an 89 mph change-up.