Riley Greene batted in three runs with three hits and Jack Flaherty pitched well for six innings, helping the Detroit Tigers defeat the Cleveland Guardians 10-1 on Thursday to win their four-game series.
Bo Naylor of Cleveland hit a home run in the third inning, but Carson Kelly responded with his seventh of the season to restore Detroit’s three-run lead.
Greene’s two-run double in the fourth inning put the Tigers ahead 6-1, and Gio Urshela’s three-run double extended their lead to 10-1 in the sixth inning.
The Tigers have won six of their last seven games, their best stretch since winning six of their first seven games this season. Despite this, they remain four games below .500 and are 13 games behind the Guardians in the division.
“Our offense has improved, and our pitching has been steady,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. “Our players enjoy winning and taking series, which we haven’t done in a while.”
The fourth-place Tigers will play Cleveland six more times this month, providing them an opportunity to gain ground in the standings.
“At this stage of the season, teams are eager to beat us,” said Guardians catcher Austin Hedges, who pitched two scoreless innings in his season debut and fifth career game as a pitcher. “Teams come prepared and energized to face us.”
Flaherty (6-5) returned from a back injury and allowed two hits while striking out four and walking two. Facing a team with an AL-high five All-Stars, Flaherty lowered his ERA to 3.13.
Flaherty could be an appealing option for Detroit to trade before this month’s deadline. He signed a $14 million, one-year deal with the Tigers last December.
Cleveland recently made a move to bolster its depleted rotation, but the initial results weren’t favorable.
