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CLEVELAND (AP) – Edwin Encarnacion hit a grand slam in the eighth inning, helping the Cleveland Indians defeat the Detroit Tigers 12-2 on Sunday for their seventh straight win.
Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis also connected for Cleveland, who outshot Detroit 26-3 in the three-game sweep. Ramirez finished with three hits, extending his series of goals to 31 consecutive games.
Adam Plutko (4-1) threw six innings of two balls, becoming the second rookie starter to beat the Tigers in the series. Shane Bieber made seven innings in the 12-0 win on Friday night.
The Tigers debutant Matthew Boyd (4-6) scored six points in three sets and more in his shortest outing of the season.
Detroit has lost five games in a row and is 3-10 against Cleveland this season.
The Indians took control with four points in the first two rounds. Michael Brantley hit a mere two-point in the second.
Lindor added a two-run run to fourth. He has managed solo home runs Friday and Saturday, and is second in the team with 19 homers this season.
Lindor also led the first with a brace and scored on the double of Encarnacion's left field. Encarnacion nearly turned on his head – the first dive in the bag, but beat the throw.
Niko Goodrum and James McCann had RBI singles for Detroit in fourth.
Plutko worked on a jam in the first. Leonys Martin launched with a single center. First baseman Yonder Alonso then lined Jeimer Candelario's ball to the floor near the bag. Instead of walking on the base for easy withdrawal, Alonso took second place but Martin was safe.
Plutko saved his defense by removing Nicholas Castellanos, Victor Martinez and Goodrum on flyouts.
ADD O TO OHIO
The Tigers have lost all nine games that they played in the state of Ohio this season. Detroit was swept in a four-game progressive stage in April. The Tigers lost both games in Cincinnati this week before heading north. The Tigers return to Cleveland in September.
TRAINER ROOM
Tigers: RHP Drew VerHagen (Broken Nose) will not resume baseball activities for two weeks after being hit in the face with a shot from stop-court Jose Iglesias while covering the first base on Tuesday in Cincinnati.
Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco will launch training sessions this week to test his bruised elbow. He was hit by a line shot by Joe Mauer of Minnesota on June 16th.
FOLLOWING
Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (2-0, 4.95 ERA) faces Oakland at Comerica Park on Monday at the opening of a four-game series.
Indians: CdM Mike Clevinger (6-2, 3.00 ERA) opens the opening game of the series in St. Louis on Monday. RHP John Gant (1-2, 4.39 ERA) begins for the Cardinals.
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