Tigers reach .500, aim higher

Maroth effective in Tigers' 3-2 victory over Indians

? The losing streak is behind them, and the Detroit Tigers’ bullpen problems soon could be in the past, too.

Mike Maroth made just two bad pitches in six innings, and Detroit’s trio of relievers made a one-run lead stand up as the Tigers won their fourth straight, 3-2 over the Indians on Thursday night.

The Tigers have won seven of 10, erasing an early five-game slide that had them wondering if another promising season would end up like so many others.

“We’re 10-10,” manager Alan Trammell said. “That’s great, but please don’t stop. Now I want us to get over .500 and have a little room to play with. I’m enjoying it, but I want us to be a lot better.”

Maroth (2-1) gave up solo homers to Casey Blake and Jhonny Peralta in the fifth inning, but the left-hander had few other issues with the majors’ worst hitting team. Maroth walked one and tied a career high with eight strikeouts.

The Tigers scored three runs in the first off Kevin Millwood (0-3), who settled down after the rough start, retiring the final 14. However, he didn’t get enough run support — a recurring theme so far this season for Cleveland.

Millwood allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings.

The Indians, who came in batting a combined .227, didn’t generate much off Maroth and dropped to 1-7 against lefties.

“It’s frustrating, but you can’t get mad,” Millwood said. “The guys are trying to score, they’re in the cage taking extra batting practice. I know with the offense we have, we’ll score some runs sooner or later.”

Detroit's Mike Maroth delivers against Cleveland. Maroth logged the win in the Tigers' 3-2 victory Thursday night in Cleveland.

Maroth’s only mistakes were hanging a 3-2 breaking ball to Blake and a 1-0 fastball he grooved to Peralta.

Cleveland couldn’t score against relievers Kyle Farnsworth, Ugueth Urbina or Troy Percival, either. The trio allowed three hits over the final three innings, with Percival working the ninth for his second save this season and the 318th overall.

Angels 3, Yankees 1

New York — Even when Kevin Brown pitches well, he winds up with a loss. This time, he didn’t get much help from his New York teammates. John Lackey combined with four relievers to shut down the all-or-nothing Yankees, and Los Angeles got RBI singles from Vladimir Guerrero and Darin Erstad. The Angels took two of three at Yankee Stadium.

Mariners 4, Rangers 1

Arlington, Texas — Ichiro Suzuki and Richie Sexson hit solo home runs, and Gil Meche pitched into the eighth inning for Seattle. Suzuki pulled a pitch from Chris Young (2-2) into the right-field stands in the eighth for his second homer of the season to break a 1-all tie. Nine of Suzuki’s 39 career homers have come against the Rangers.

Blue Jays 7, Devil Rays 4

Toronto — Gregg Zaun hit a three-run homer in a five-run sixth inning, and Toronto completed a three-game sweep of Tampa Bay.