Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Trevor Crowe's two-out RBI single in the seventh inning gave Cleveland a 4-3 win over Detroit in the first game of a doubleheader from Progressive Field.
Fausto Carmona (9-7) went seven-plus innings and yielded three runs on six hits while surviving six walks to post his fourth straight quality start during which he's gone 3-1.
Jason Donald and Michael Brantley each had two hits and drove in a run for the Indians, who won the opener to this four-game series, 8-2, on Friday.
Chris Perez saved his eighth game of the year in place of Kerry Wood, who landed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a blister on his right index finger.
Detroit's Justin Verlander struck out nine over six frames while surrendering three runs on six hits with a season-high five walks. Phil Coke (5-1) came on in the seventh and served up a double to Matt LaPorta before Crowe delivered the deciding run.
Carlos Guillen had a two-run single and Brandon Inge knocked in the other run with a double -- all in the first inning -- as the Tigers dropped their third straight game.
The Tigers looked to be in good shape after loading the bases against Carmona in the first on a pair of walks and a base hit. Guillen breached the scoreboard with his base knock to center, and Inge staked Verlander to a three-run lead with a two-bagger to left-center. Guillen was thrown out at home to end the inning.
The Tribe got two back in the third. Andy Marte opened with a single and was quickly home on Donald's double to center. Brantley followed with a base hit back through the middle for a 3-2 affair.
Verlander composed himself to escape the fifth with a one-run lead intact, fanning Travis Hafner and LaPorta with the bases loaded. But the All-Star righty loaded them up again the very next inning, and a wild pitch scored Shelley Duncan for the tying run with two away. Jayson Nix fouled out with runners at second and third to kill a chance at a larger rally.
Crowe got to Coke with the deciding base hit to bring in LaPorta in the seventh. Joe Smith and Rafael Perez combined to shut down the eighth after Johnny Damon opened with a leadoff double against Carmona.
Perez walked Inge with one out in the ninth, and a steal with two down had the tying run in scoring position for Ramon Santiago, who flied out to end the game.
Carmona tied a season-high with six walks...Verlander had won his last three starts...Damon was 2-for-3 with a walk for the Tigers, who went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position...Detroit called up right-hander Rick Porcello from Triple-A Toledo to start the second game opposite Cleveland's Mitch Talbot. To make room on the Tigers roster, lefty Daniel Schlereth was sent down to Toledo, while reliever Jensen Lewis was brought up from Triple-A Columbus to take Wood's spot on the Indians roster.