Tigers drop Indians to keep pace in AL Central race

Detroit, MI - J.D. Martinez homered and drove in four runs, and David Price pitched into the eighth inning to carry the Detroit Tigers to a 7-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park.

The Tigers moved into a tie for first place with Kansas City in the AL Central. The Royals were hosting the Red Sox Friday night.

Price (14-11) allowed eight hits, including a homer to Ryan Raburn, and struck out seven over 7 2/3 innings. Price beat the Indians for the second time in his last three starts.

Victor Martinez and Ian Kinsler each had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Tigers, winners in four of their last five games.

Carlos Carrasco (7-5) surrendered seven hits and four runs over 6 1/3 innings for the Indians, who kicked off a 10-game road trip. Carrasco had won his previous four decisions and absorbed his first loss since July 25.

Raburn homered to left-center in the second inning, but Michael Bourn grounded out to strand a pair of runners in scoring position to cap the frame.

Kinsler doubled to right field in the third to drive in Nick Castellanos and tie the game before the Tigers went ahead in the fourth. Miguel Cabrera hit a liner that caromed off the glove of Carrasco, who threw the ball away to first. Cabrera went to second on the play and later came home on J.D. Martinez's two-run blast to left.

The Tigers broke the game open in the seventh. Victor Martinez singled to left off C.C. Lee to drive in Kinsler. J.D. Martinez followed with a two-run triple to right-center, and he scored on Alex Avila's infield hit to third.

Lonnie Chisenhall's RBI double in the ninth capped the scoring.