Justin Masterson tested his right knee Thursday by throwing a bullpen session at Comerica Park.

DETROIT, Mich. – Justin Masterson is headed for Class AAA Columbus.

Masterson threw a bullpen session Thursday evening during the Indians' optional workout at Comerica Park as they returned from the All-Star break to play the Tigers in a four-game series starting Friday night.

Manager Terry Francona said Masterson will make a rehab start Sunday for Columbus and could rejoin the Indians' rotation in his next start, which would be July 25 against Kansas City. Masterson was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career on July 8 with a sore right knee.

Francona didn't know how many pitches Masterson would throw Sunday, but it didn't sound like he'd be limited.

"He hasn't been out that long," said Francona.

Masterson, bothered by the knee since his second start of the season, had a disappointing first half. He knows how important it is for the Indians and himself to pitch better in the last 2½ months of the season.

"In terms of the team, absolutely," said Masterson, 4-6, 5.51 ERA in 19 starts. "I feel like I'm definitely one of the guys on the team that when I'm doing well everyone is having a good time and doing well, too.

"We all work well together. Being one of the leaders on the team, I want to go out there. I don't feel any added pressure, I was just want to go out and be me and do my thing. If I do that, I think a lot of great things will happen."

Masterson is a free agent at the end of the season.

As the Cleveland Cavaliers were preparing for their fourth summer league game in Las Vegas, Northeast Ohio was buzzing over the latest Kevin Love trade rumor.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- As the Cleveland Cavaliers were preparing for their fourth summer league game in Las Vegas, Northeast Ohio was buzzing over the latest Kevin Love rumor.

Until this afternoon, reports indicated that the Cavs were unwilling to include promising youngster Andrew Wiggins in a trade package for Minnesota's three-time NBA All-Star. One report from Sporting News even hinted that the Cavs had notified Wiggins he would not get moved.

Things change rapidly in the NBA. The News-Herald's Bob Finnan reported early on Thursday afternoon that the Cavs softened their stance on including Wiggins in a package for Love.

Cleveland Cavaliers now willing to include Wiggins in Kevin Love trade offer http://t.co/X5I1fpcNaM

— Bob Finnan (@BobCavsinsider) July 17, 2014

The reason? LeBron James reportedly wants him in Cleveland, with James recruiting Love, according to Yahoo Sports.

LeBron James has reached to tell Kevin Love of his desire for them to play together with the Cavaliers, front office sources tell Yahoo.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 17, 2014

Aside from free agency, Love trade rumors have dominated the headlines, and have only picked up steam since last week when James announced his intentions to return to Cleveland.

Love would be the perfect fit, a floor-spacing big man with the same kind of skill set as Chris Bosh, who helped James win two titles in Miami. While the future is bright for Wiggins, Love would make the Cavs instant title contenders. 

The trade winds blew all the way to Sin City. While at the free throw line during Thursday's game against the Houston Rockets, a boisterous fan shouted, "You're going to get traded" just before Wiggins was about to release one of his 20 attempts.

Blatt and the Cavs have tried to ignore the outside noise and limit the questions about Wiggins' availability in a potential trade. But the inquiries will continue as long as Love is available. The first-year head coach had no choice but to address the speculation on Thursday night.

"Rumors are rumors," Blatt said following the Cavs loss to the Rockets. "That's why they call them rumors. Sooner or later in one's career you're going to have to deal with it. If (Andrew) has to deal with it now then so be it. It's summer league. He's learning everything as he's going along."

Blatt was also asked whether he's had a conversation with Wiggins about the latest reports.

"No, I don't talk to him about any of that stuff," he said. "It doesn't mean anything, at least not right now."

Wiggins, who has become a fan favorite in Las Vegas, showed no signs of being distracted as he enjoyed his best summer league game. He scored 21 points – 15 coming at the free throw line as he relentlessly attacked the defense off the bounce and left the crowd holding its breath on a few occasions.

"I thought Andrew did a really good job," Blatt said. "What you like about a kid like that is it doesn't make a difference if it's the fourth game of summer league, fourth game in eight days, if people are keying on him or if the crowd has funny things to say to him. He just goes out there and plays. He has a nice calm about him, a real good demeanor. Andrew is going to be a high level player."

The only question remaining is whether Wiggins will reach his immense potential in Cleveland or Minnesota.

Get live leaderboard, pictures and videos from the second round of the 2014 British Open. The 9:00 hour features Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods tee times.

HOYLAKE, England – Keep up with the latest news, pictures and videos from the second round of the British Open all day Friday from Royal Liverpool.

Track leader Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and all your favorite golfers in a live leaderboard from the third major of the year.

Check the box below for live Twitter updates from Royal Liverpool, including pictures and videos from the PGA Tour's official Twitter account and other notable Twitter feeds. Below the box is a live leaderboard. Click here to see tee times for Friday.

Play begins at 1:25 a.m. Eastern, with the final threesome teeing off at 11:06. McIlroy tees off at 9:27. Woods' round begins at 9:05. Kent resident Ben Curtis tees off at 7:43, while Cleveland native Jason Dufner starts at 4:26.

Check cleveland.com for similar updates posts Friday through Sunday.

Here is more on how the golfers arrived at Friday's second round at 7,312-yard, par-72 Royal Liverpool:

LEADING: McIlroy shot a bogey-free 66 for a one-stroke lead and his best score in a major since winning the 2012 PGA Championship.

PURSUING: Twenty-one-year-old Matteo Manassero holed out a birdie from 160 yards at the first hole and finished with a 67. The world's top-ranked player, Adam Scott, was another shot back at 68 in a group that included Sergio Garcia, Jim Furyk, Shane Lowry, Brooks Koepka and Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari.

TIGER'S BACK: Playing his first major of the year, Woods bogeyed the first two holes but bounced back to shoot 69. The 14-time major champion missed the Masters and the U.S. Open after back surgery March 31.

WHERE'S LEFTY? Defending champion Phil Mickelson struggled to a 74 and showed no signs of duplicating his 2013 triumph at Muirfield.

KEY STAT: Only three of the top 18 players had afternoon tee times — Scott, Lowry and Boo Weekley (69).

NOTEWORTHY: McIlroy improved his first-round scoring to 55-under-par in tournaments around the world this year. Now, can he keep it going? For some reason, McIlroy has struggled mightily in the second round, with a cumulative score of 15 over.

TELEVISION: ESPN, 4 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their first game of summer league on Thursday night, 96-90, against the Houston Rockets.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their first game of summer league on Thursday night, 96-90, against the Houston Rockets.

The Cavs are now 3-1, with one final game left against the Miami Heat on Friday night.

Andrew Wiggins scored 21 points in a losing effort – his highest point total since arriving in Las Vegas.

Here are five quick hits from Las Vegas following the team's loss.

David Blatt talking to Erik Spoelstra: Yes, he's the enemy, and coaches one of the teams the Cavs could see in the postseason during the 2014-15 season, but Cavs head coach David Blatt has been chatting with the coach Miami calls "Spo" recently. The topic came up Thursday night when Blatt was asked whether he has reached out to LeBron James' former coaches for tips on how to use the four-time MVP. It might not be a bad idea given that Spoelstra was partially responsible for James becoming a two-time champion.

"I actually met Coach Spoelstra for the first time the other morning," Blatt admitted following Thursday's loss against the Rockets. "He was nice as he always is. Class guy. No, we did not talk about (how to use LeBron effectively) because frankly I did not know what to say. I was at a loss for words. He was great."

Wiggins gets aggressive: In Cleveland's third game, Wiggins sent the crowd into frenzy twice. One time he blocked Nerlens Noel's shot attempt. The other was a high-rising dunk set up by a gorgeous baseline spin move. Spotty play and a lack of overall aggressiveness was mixed with those highlights. His eight shot attempts were the fewest in four games, and he attempted three free throws. Head coach David Blatt made it a point to get him more involved against Houston.

"I pulled the old Larry Brown by putting in a couple new plays before the game to try to get him more involved," Blatt said. "He took the challenge and did it."

He sure did. Wiggins attempted 20 free throws. Getting to the free throw line is nothing new for Wiggins. It was one of the reasons some projected greatness for him at the next level. Seven times he attempted double-digits while at Kansas. Summer league is more evidence that keeping him out of the paint will be a challenge thanks to his quick first step and explosiveness.

Wiggins has go-to move: When the youngster wasn't getting to the free throw line, he was showing his new, patented move. It started prior to the draft and it's been nurtured since. It's a step-back jumper, which worked on a few occasions Thursday night. Wiggins went to the post and pulled it off, getting fouled twice because the defender couldn't make up enough ground or jump with the supremely athletic first overall pick. Wiggins even went to it off the dribble, setting up the defender with a crossover, creating space and splashing the J. It's nice to see the hard work on the practice court when few are watching is paying off.

Missing Delly: The Cavs played Thursday's game without Matthew Dellavedova, who left following the third game for his duties with the Australian National Team. His loss was felt offensively and defensively. On offense, the team had nine assists - Dellavedova was third in assists per game (4.7) during summer league play. Houston's Isaiah Canaan scored a game-high 28 points. The Cavs tried Carrick Felix, Will Cherry and Wiggins against Canaan throughout the game. None of those guys had success. Canaan would've been Dellavedova's assignment had he played, and his tenacity might have made a difference.

Anthony Bennett's shot selection is still baffling: One would think after his disastrous rookie season, which included shooting a paltry 24 percent from three-point range, Anthony Bennett would focus more of his attention inside the paint. Nope. Bennett tossed up five more three-point attempts on Thursday night, bringing his total to 16 while making four. That's right, the burly 6-foot-8 power forward is averaging four three pointers with the Cavs. When he was around the basket good things happened against the Rockets, but he kept drifting toward the three-point line as if it were a magnet.

Nick Swisher didn't drive the Indians' equipment truck to Comerica Park for their optional workout on Thursday, but he did help unload the equipment bags.

DETROIT, Mich. – The visiting clubhouse crew had an extra pair of hands helping unload the Indians' equipment bags Thursday before their optional workout at Comerica Park.

The guy shouting out uniform bag numbers and passing them to his teammates was Nick Swisher.

When he wasn't helping the clubbies, he was walking around the clubhouse clapping his hands and encouraging his teammates to get ready for the post All-Star break schedule.

"I've got a lot of energy built up," shouted Swisher.

Swisher needs a big finish to move the needle on his current stat line: .208 (58-for-279) 15 doubles, eight homers, 36 RBI. His slash line is .208/.288/.348.

Optional means optional: There were plenty of players at Thursday evening's optional work at Comerica Park, but manager Terry Francona wasn't taking a head count.

"This isn't a test," he said.

Francona said it was mostly for the pitchers because although he figured everyone of them had probably at least played catch during the break, he added, "You don't want someone to go four days without picking up a baseball."

What's the plan? Francona said the Indians are still putting together a plan for Michael Bourn as he tries to rebound from his third setback with his left hamstring since spring training.

The Indians placed Bourn on the DL on July 6. This strain was worse than they expected and will supposedly sideline him for three to four weeks.

All-Star reflections: Francona, who was on manager John Farrell's coaching staff at the All-Star game, said one of the best moments was watching Derek Jeter go to the plate to leadoff the first inning and seeing National League starter Adam Wainwright and catcher Jonathan Lucroy back away from the mound and play, respectively, to give the retiring Jeter a long moment alone to soak in the standing ovation from the sellout crowd at Target field.

"I'm sure Wainwright's heart was beating 100 mph," said Francona. "Only in our spot do you see things like that."

As for Wainwright saying he grooved a couple of pitches to Jeter, Francona said, "I didn't listen much to that. You still have to hit it. Wainwright was throwing about 94 mph."

Michael Brantley believes the key to the last 2 1/2 months of the Indians' season is playing better defense. Right now they Indians have committed the most errors in the big leagues.

DETROIT, Mich. -- The All-Star game and the 3½ days wrapped around it is fun for the players on the American and National League teams, but it can be hectic and draining.

While the All-Star is being peppered with questions from reporters and making sure his family and friends are taken care of regarding all the pre and post-game activities, his teammates are back home getting a break physically and mentally from the game.

Michael Brantley was the Indians only All-Star this year. He played the last three innings in center field in the American League's 5-3 victory Tuesday night at Target Field. On Wednesday, he flew back to Cleveland and Thursday traveled with the Indians to Detroit to start a 10-day, 11-game all-AL Central trip to begin the last 2½ months of the season.

He was going to take part in the optional workout Thursday evening at Comerica Park, but manager Terry Francona told him to take the day off.

It is an important trip, maybe the most important of the season. The Indians are in third place in the Central at 47-47. They trail first-place Detroit by 7½ games and are a game behind Kansas City. In the wild card race, they are 3½ games behind Seattle for the second spot.

The Indians will play four games against the Tigers, three against the Twins and four against the Royals on the trip. It would be a good time for the Indians to put their best foot forward, something Brantley feels they haven't done yet.

"I don't think we've hit our potential," he said. "I don't feel we've played anywhere close to our potential. To be where we're at, to still have a chance, that speaks volumes.

"We're going to come back after this All-Star break, everybody is going to be relaxed after having a few days off with their families, and we're going to go back to work."

Brantley says defense is the key to the second half.

"We have to play better defense," he said. "We have to get off the field and do a better job of not making errors and backing up our starting pitchers. We have to play clean baseball."

The Indians have the most errors (76) and worst fielding percentage (.976) of any team in the big leagues.

If the Indians haven't hit their potential, it hasn't been Brantley's fault.

After hitting .500 in spring training, Brantley has been busy putting together a career season. He comes out of the break hitting .322 (113-for-351) with 22 doubles, 15 homers, 63 RBI and 63 runs. The 15 homers are five more than he hit last year. He's 10 RBI shy of last year's total.

As Francona, part of manager John Farrell's All-Star game coaching staff said, "Having Brantley in the middle of the lineup not only makes my job easier, it makes it a lot more fun."

Brantley played most of the first half in left field before moving over to center to replace injured Michael Bourn. Farrell told Brantley he'd be playing center in the All-Star game so during the workouts he took extra fly balls in center.

"I went out and stood behind him, he didn't know I was there," said Francona. "I watched him for about 10 minutes. I was almost overwhelmed with pride.

"Then I watched him hit and almost became emotional. I must be getting old."

Just before camp opened for the Indians in February, news broke that Brantley and the team had agreed to a four-year $25 million contract extension. Players react differently to extensions and multiyear deals.

Nick Swisher seems to still be struggling with the weight of the four-year deal $56 million he signed with the Indians before the 2013 season. Jason Kipnis is coming off a quiet first half after signing a six-year $52.2 million extension just before the home opener. After a slow start, Yan Gomes has been a solid contributor after agreeing to a six-year $23 million extension just before start of the regular season.

"We started talking about the extension in December," said Brantley. "My agency (Legacy) did a great job. I didn't handle any part of that side. That's why you have an agency and representatives to represent you.

"I feel to this day that my job is to focus on baseball. I try to limit the distractions off the field and my agents will handle the rest."

So he never felt one bit of pressure to live up to his new deal?

"Not at all," said Brantley. "I believe with the way I play the game and how hard I work to prepare, the stats would take care of themselves.

"I've got a great group of teammates that always push you to do better every day. So you come to the field every day and try to do better and be the best teammate you can be. That makes it easy."

Kirtland's Matt Finkler has been competitive since he was little. He's learned to channel his competitiveness on the football field.

KIRTLAND, Ohio – To call Kirtland’s Matthew Finkler a simple kid may be an understatement.

Ohio’s Division VI Defensive Player of the Year likes the simple things in life: friends, family and football.

He also has a simple diet – or to some maybe it would be considered complex – since he doesn’t eat any cookies or fast food.

Yet the Hornets two-way player at tight end and linebacker has a huge appetite: for competition. 

Every day in July, check out a profile featuring one of the many standout football players in Northeast Ohio as part of the 31 in 31 series.  

Growing up in Kirtland, Finkler said pretty much everyone around starts with football at a young age.

“They keep going and never stop,” he said.

To set himself apart, Finkler played three sports because he liked the different groups of kids and the different change of pace.

“They’re all different in their own ways, and all competitively different,” Finkler said.

That’s where his competitive side grew.

“I hate losing more than I like winning,” he said.

There’s a good story to prove that.

When Finkler was younger, probably age 8 or 9, he was playing the board game Sorry with his family, including Jake, his older brother by three years. His brother would get him out and the younger Finkler would become mad.

“When he’d ‘Sorry’ me, I’d toss the whole board,” he said. “I wasn’t allowed to play anymore. We had to get rid of the game.”

Now a junior, Finkler learned how to contain his negative competitiveness. It probably helps that although Jake used to beat him in everything, Matt Finkler eventually hit a growth spurt. Now at 6-foot-3, he stands exactly three inches above Jake. Those three inches matter. Trust him.

“We used to wrestle a lot, but now he doesn’t like to wrestle me anymore,” Finkler said.

In truly brotherly competitive fashion, when Jake heard this he responded with: “Whenever I beat him in horse or basketball in the pool, we have to play again until he wins or sometimes I have to let him win.”

Jake, though, thinks his little brother’s real competitive side came out in high school.

“I think the atmosphere that his school brings, especially his football coach, mackes it a competitive and fun nature,” Jake said.

Finkler channels his competitive side into ping pong with his brothers, and with Jake. They play doubles and the games are known to get pretty intense. Sometimes there’s even some screaming.

He also loves to work out, hence the no pizza, no chips, no fast food no cookies, just plain old no garbage.

“Anything he puts in his body is good,” Jake said. “I wish I could say the same for myself.”

In the offseason Finkler’s worked on his speed and agility. He’s continued to train his body and eat healthy while staying competitive.

Come Friday nights this fall, though, there won’t be any tossed Sorry boards to be found. The simple junior that lines up at tight end and linebacker removed that from his player profile years ago.

“Nobody likes a crybaby or someone with temper tantrums,” Finkler said. “You just grow out of it.”

More about Finkler:

Height: 6-foot-3.

Weight: 235 pounds.

Position: Tight end and linebacker.

Grade: Junior.

2013 stats: Defensively, 122 tackles. Offensively, 34 receptions for 634 yards and nine touchdowns.

College offers: Bowling Green and Miami (Ohio).

Awards/Honors: CVC Defensive MVP, Ohio Division VI Defensive Player of the Year.

Contact high school sports reporter Stephanie Kuzydym by email (skuzydym@cleveland.com) or on Twitter (@stephkuzy). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Foucher, who finished second in the CrossFit Games in 2012, is hoping to better her effort next weekend after a year away from the games.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio – In a stripped-down warehouse in an industrial office park, Julie Foucher sidled up to two stacks of large circular weights against a wall. 

Her biceps bulged. The muscles along her back protruded. 

With one deep breath, she positioned one hand atop each stack of weights, flipped upside-down, and began doing handstand pushups. 

Her face turned pink from effort, and her arms quivered, but her former nemesis, the maneuver that she faltered with two years ago at the CrossFit Games, looked fluid and powerful.

Foucher, formerly the Second Fittest Woman on Earth and currently a medical school student at Case, is ready to prove she has evolved after one year away from the CrossFit Games. When the competition begins Wednesday at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, Foucher hopes to prove she is now the Fittest Woman on Earth. 

After taking a year off to focus on med school, Foucher has been training with intensity of late. She continues to work with the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based coach, Doug Chapman, who got her started in the sport. Her in-season averages of 3-4 hour daily workouts are even more arduous. 

And this year she added coaching from Cleveland residents gymnast Dominique Moceanu and her husband Michael Canalas to help her improve gymnastics elements of the CrossFit games – including those handstand pushups. 

"She's never been more comfortable in the uncomfortable," Moceanu said. "Her mental strength at this point and time is a huge asset and something she was working on with us over the last 10 months. Julie is more ready than ever, and I'm really excited for the world to see." 

Foucher is now in her fifth year of CrossFit, a strength and conditioning program that incorporates weight training, strength and endurance and gymnastics moves. She checked it out one day in 2009 with a group of friends from her dorm at the University of Michigan simply because she was looking for a new fitness routine. 

As luck would have it, she had stumbled into HyperFit USA, one of the original CrossFit affiliates, operated by Chapman. She not only loved the exercise, but the former high school gymnast and track-and-field star discovered she was pretty good at it, as well. 

Within six months, Foucher had her sights set on competing in the CrossFit Games. The Games are a national competition that asks individuals to perform specific workouts in the fastest time or display feats of strength or fitness.

Though Foucher is just 5-4, 130 pounds, she placed fifth in her first attempt at the CrossFit Games in 2010. In 2011? She was fifth again. 

And in 2012, she moved up to second. 

"Over the years of doing training, there have been a lot of athletes who walk into my gym and have a lot of potential," Chapman said. "If you think about this, in any endeavor, a lot of people have a lot of talent. What people don't have is the will to work hard enough to develop that talent fully. 

"What makes her special is how hard she works." 

Consider, too, that Foucher has balanced her devotion to CrossFit with a full medical school schedule. That's why she stepped back in 2013 and didn't compete in the Games. Now, however, after finishing a lighter load with a research year, Foucher is back. 

"Julie's an amazing story, truly," Chapman said. "Most kids can't just handle going to medical school. And most CrossFitters can't train for the CrossFit Games. It takes a really special person who is able to do both. It's one in a million. One in 10 million." 

With Moceanu's help, Foucher has improved her handstand pushups, along with other gymnastics maneuvers, such as strength moves on the rings called muscle ups. 

"Julie's ethic is renowned," Moceanu said. "I've been able to watch her grow and progress. Her sheer ability to progress is something to behold." 

Moceanu will be with Foucher next weekend to cheer on her newest pupil. And she's hopeful the rest of Cleveland can appreciate Foucher's determination and fitness.

"Not only do we have LeBron, but we have Julie, who might be the fittest woman on earth," she said.

That's Foucher's goal.

2014 CrossFit Games

When: Friday, July 25 - Sunday, July 27

Where: StubHub Center, Carson, California

Coverage: Streamed live on Games.CrossFit.com and ESPN3.go.com beginning Friday; Live television broadcast on ESPN Friday 9-10 p.m. and Saturday 8-10 p.m. Sunday broadcast will be on ESPN2, 8-9 p.m.

The first breakdown comparing the two best teams in the Big Ten, in conjunction with Mlive.com, analyzes the OSU senior against the MSU junior from Walsh Jesuit.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Who's the best team in the Big Ten - Ohio State or Michigan State? The teams will face each other on Nov. 8 in what should be a tossup game with the role of conference favorite on the line. At least for this season, the Buckeyes vs. Spartans should matter more on the field than Michigan's rivalry with either Ohio State or Michigan State.

So Mike Griffith of Mlive.com and I are combining to compare the Buckeyes and Spartans in seven key areas. We'll break down each area for the team we cover, and then encourage you to check out the other's opinion as a way of making your own call about how they match up. In the end, we'll rate each area on a scale of 1 to 10, and we're breaking it down enough to get into decimal points. Decimals!

First up are the quarterbacks, not just Ohio State's Braxton Miller and Michigan State's Connor Cook, the Walsh Jesuit grad, but their backups as well. Here's my take on Ohio State, while Griffith has his MSU breakdown at mlive.com/spartans.

Quarterback 

Braxton Miller could break every quarterback record at Ohio State, stand as the first three-time winner of the Chicago Tribune's Silver Football as the Big Ten's best player, earn a third straight Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Award and finally get a chance to go to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist, all while leading the Buckeyes back to the Big Ten title game.

In fact, all those things might be likely. Miller's senior season could be one OSU fans don't ever forget.

But we're evaluating the entire quarterback position here. And with steady backup Kenny Guiton gone to the Los Angeles Kiss of the Arena Football League, how much the OSU backup QBs might matter in 2014 is an area that fans can't ignore.

 

Miller has an injury history, including missing nearly three full games last season. Redshirt sophomore Cardale Jones won the backup job in the spring over redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett, but if anything happens to Miller, the Buckeyes will be replacing him not with a veteran captain and team favorite in Guiton, but with a young QB who has basically never played before.

Miller missed spring ball after shoulder surgery, which led to more reps for Jones, Barrett and true freshman Stephen Collier. But the priority is getting Miller back healthy - he's on track - and keeping him healthy.

Strengths: Miller's gamebreaking playmaking, either running or getting free and throwing on the move, is something defenses can't plan for. That has always been the case and will be again.

Weaknesses: There remains room for Miller to grow as a pocket passer and reader of defenses. Guiton worked best as a distributor, getting the ball out to playmakers, and look for Miller to take on more of that role this year. He'll never lose his feet, but he wants to make smart, quick decisions and let other guys do some of the running. But he has to show he can do it consistently.

Keep an eye on: Whether Barrett could supplant Jones as the No. 2 during fall camp. The four-star recruit from Texas was a big get for Urban Meyer and the coaches like his leadership. And then see how much either backup gets to play in the first month, with any blowout giving a chance at some much needed game reps.

Rating: 9.2 — With Florida State's Jameis Winston, Oregon's Marcus Mariota, Baylor's Bryce Petty and UCLA's Brett Hundley, Miller is probably one of the top five quarterbacks in college football. As a dual-threat, only Mariota can compare. But Miller can improve in all the detail areas - footwork and accuracy and touch - and the uncertainly at backup quarterback prevents this rating from getting any close to a perfect 10. But anything over a 9 is hard to argue with. 

Michigan State is in good shape at the quarterback spot as well with Cook, but the Buckeyes have the best QB setup in the Big Ten this season.

Now the Michigan State quarterback analysis.

Ohio State vs. Michigan State, The Breakdown

Introduction: Ohio State -- Michigan State

Quarterbacks: OSU's Braxton Miller (9.2) -- MSU's Connor Cook (8.9)

If the Indians are going to make a run at the American League Central Division crown, they might want to rev their engines this weekend in the Motor City.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If the Indians are going to make a run at the American League Central Division crown, they might want to rev their engines this weekend in the Motor City.

Cleveland trails Detroit by 7 1/2 games. Kansas City sits one game in front of the Tribe. The Tigers' 6 1/2-game advantage is the largest lead in any division in the league.

The Indians enter the second half of the season 3 1/2 games behind the Mariners for the second Wild Card spot. The Angels appear to have a stranglehold on the first Wild Card spot.

Before the regular-season slate ceases, the Indians will tangle with the Tigers 11 more times. They'll clash with the Royals 10 more times. So, there is plenty to be decided in the division, despite the sizable gap. But can the Tigers be tamed?

Detroit has posted an 8-4 mark in July, having outscored its opponents by 30 runs. At the start of the month, they swept the Athletics, who boast baseball's best record. Before the All-Star break, they won five of six against the Dodgers and Royals. In the two series openers, they trumped Los Angeles, 14-5, and Kansas City, 16-4, respectively. They own a 9-4 record against the Royals. They have split eight games with the Indians.

Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello have all accounted for at least 2.0 wins above replacement. J.D. Martinez has only played in 55 games, but has compiled a .346/.380/.654 slash line with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs. For the Indians, only Michael Brantley, Corey Kluber, Yan Gomes and Lonnie Chisenhall have racked up that kind of value.

Cleveland's fate could be determined by the straightening out of an inconsistent starting rotation and offensive resurgences -- or lack thereof -- from Nick Swisher, Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis. In 76 games, Swisher logged a .208/.288/.348 slash line and lost his everyday first base job to Santana, who hit .207 with 14 homers and 37 RBIs in 84 contests. When Kipnis wasn't shelved with a strained right oblique muscle, he was batting .255 with three homers, 24 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 68 games.

Only Kluber served as a reliable option in the rotation during the first half. He posted a 9-6 record and 3.01 ERA, with 142 strikeouts and only 32 walks in 131 2/3 innings. Trevor Bauer appeared to turn a corner in his two most recent starts. As such, he will toe the rubber in Friday's series opener at Comerica Park. The club will attempt to patch together a fivesome from those two, Josh Tomlin and some combination of Justin Masterson, Zach McAllister, Danny Salazar and T.J. House.

Of course, the Indians' putrid showing with their gloves hasn't helped matters. A reversal of defensive fortunes could go a long way in aiding Cleveland's cause. The Indians rank last in the major leagues in fielding percentage and second-last in defensive efficiency. Their 76 errors are more than any other team has committed.

Last season, the Indians stood at 51-44 at the All-Star break, 1 1/2 games behind the Tigers in the division race. They plummeted to eight games back by Aug. 10 after they suffered a six-game losing streak that included a four-game sweep at the hands of Detroit.

When the calendar flipped to September, they sat 8 1/2 games behind the Tigers. A late surge -- and Detroit's leisurely stroll to the regular season finish line -- placed the Tribe one game back in the final standings.

Will the 2014 campaign play out any differently? Do the Indians stand any chance at challenging the Tigers? State your case in the comments section below.

Watch highlights from Joe Haden and Friends Celebrity Softball Game at Classic Park in Eastlake Thursday night.

EASTLAKE, Ohio -- They say that defense wins championships. The defense also wins the first Joe Haden and Friends Celebrity Softball Game at Classic Park Thursday night.

More than 2,500 fans turned out to watch seven Cleveland Browns players, area celebrities and friends play a nine-inning game in which the defense was pitted against the offense.  The defense prevailed 28-15.

The game was preceded by a Browns home run derby.  Cornerback Buster Skrine beat out quarterback Brian Hoyer in the final round to win.

Training camp begins in Berea Saturday, July 26.

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

Joshua Teplitz, a 20-year old fitness trainer and street model, was leading the way on LeBron James' return to the Cleveland Cavaliers before ESPN.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The national sports media has scurried in front of the camera to provide expert analysis to explain how and why LeBron James came back home to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Ah, but those with even a modicum of memory – a week's worth, to be exact – remember these same pundits scoffing at the very  idea of LeBron leaving South Beach for Cleveland.

Cleveland? Hah.

They laughed even harder at the CLE renegade that called the return of LeBron to the Cavs before the self-described "Worldwide Leader in Sports," ESPN.

Meet Joshua Teplitz, a 20-year-old personal fitness trainer and street model armed with a Twitter account.

To Cavs fans, he's a hoops Nostradamus.

On July 3, the Mayfield Heights resident started laying out his scenario for James' return to the Cavaliers. In Tweet after Tweet, the Cleveland resident and hoops junkie spelled out the hows and whys.

His Twitter account blew up, 1,000 new followers a day – fans hoping against doubt that a personal trainer would be right and ESPN wrong about LeBron.

"I was sure LeBron was coming to the Cavs," says Teplitz. "I had a source."

One of countless tweets by Joshua Teplitz leading up to The Decision 2.0.The Plain Dealer 

The ubiquitous "source"  thrown around a lot by the media during the LeBronathon leading up to James' announcement a week ago, via Sports Illustrated. Reporters around the country cited unnamed sources, mostly to confirm that James was staying in Miami.

"Yeah, but my source was a longtime friend of mine and was close to LeBron," says Teplitz, who like any good reporter would not reveal his source. "I knew him through working out, and he actually approached me about it. He knew that I had a big social media following and gave me the info, knowing that I would put it out there."

At first, he received a good deal of mockery – c'mon, a fitness trainer?

"I started slowly, because it's risky coming out with all this info," says Teplitz. "Especially when you have the national media saying there's no way that Kyrie Irving is even going to sign with Cleveland – let alone LeBron coming back."

Teplitz is referring to comments by ESPN writer Brian Windhorst that Irving wanted out of Cleveland. Instead, Irving agreed to a five-year contract extension as soon as free agency started, on July 1.

"My family was worried for me," says Teplitz. "They thought I was going to be the laughingstock of the city for going all-out on this LeBron thing."

When he says, all-out, he means ALL-OUT.

All of  Teplitz's waking hours leading up to The Decision 2.0 were spent answering Tweets and reassuring Cleveland fans – that special breed of human raised on gloomy cynicism and blind hope.

Which meant he didn't sleep.

"I was on this Twitter rampage, laying out exactly why he was coming and trying to explain what was going on," says Teplitz. "The sports media in New York kept saying, 'But Gilbert hasn't met with LeBron' and citing that as a reason he won't come to Cleveland. How can the media be so gullible?"

Well, probably because it just couldn't imagine LeBron coming to Cleveland, located in Flyover Country.

That's the sentiment that underscored the mockery of Cavs fans by the media – which reached its zenith with reports of fans tracking Dan Gilbert's plane that was alleged to have flown to Florida on July 6.

Talk of Dan Gilbert's plane flying to Florida started a storm of Twitter activity and speculation.The Plain Dealer 

As it turns out, Gilbert did meet LeBron. And, yes, there was a plane.

The episode, however, cemented the perception of Cavs fans not as super sleuths, but a bunch of kooks.

A CBS Sports writer ("Your LeBron James Decision 2.0 Internet Crazy-Pants power rankings") even rated the fans, with Teplitz coming in third:

Wait, wait, wait. Personal trainer is one thing

"Street wear model?"

And the media are the ridiculous ones?

Again, this isn't about whether or not James is going back to Cleveland. Many (but not all) indications are that he is at this point. It's about the fact that a personal trainer and "street wear model" is somehow more conneced than not only the media, but every other person on the planet.

And maybe Teplitz does have the skinny, is in the know, is ahead of the game. But if that's the case? Maybe we should just go ahead and burn down communication of any kind throughout the world and we can all live as we die: alone.

"I was flattered that he rated me No. 3," says Teplitz. "But personally I wish I would've been higher."

Of course, No. 1 was Caroline's Cupcakes, which guaranteed LeBron's return:

"Just texting with a friend who is directly tied in with Lebron and his camp, and he swears on his life #TheReturn to Cleveland is a done deal," said a post on Caroline's Cupcakes Facebook page.

Caroline's Cupcakes Facebook page post that LeBron James is returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers scooped the national media by hours. What sources did the Canton bakery have that ESPN did not?Caroline's Cupcakes Facebook Page 

The post went viral on social media after it was posted. It also scooped national pundits, which started reporting the possibility of James' return hours later.

CBS Sports wrote this regarding Caroline's Cupcakes:

To run this down, a cupcake shop is now breaking important news. The phrase "per his souces" appeared on a bakery Facebook page. Where are we? What is happening?

"It's cool seeing a player like LeBron picking a city that isn't in the national spotlight," says Teplitz. "And just as cool seeing that people in Cleveland, not the national media in New York, break the story."

"These guys on ESPN are now providing all sorts of analysis about it on TV," he adds. "But where were they before it happened?"

That's not to say that Teplitz envisions a media career for himself – even though he will be now handling social media for Reserve Tattoo, the place where he gets his tats.

He plans on just taking it easy. No more playing Nostradamus.

"My girlfriend was really upset with me, saying, 'LeBron is coming between us – are you going to choose him or me?' " says Teplitz. "So I've been spending time with her and my family and trying to get caught up on some sleep. It's all good."

In an uneven game Thursday in the NBA Summer League, heralded Cavaliers' rookie Andrew Wiggins still showed promise. But the team's interest in Minnesota's Kevin Love promises a more immediate return.

CLEVELAND Ohio – I have seen the future, and it is not tomorrow. Or the day after.

Unless the Cavaliers trade Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love then.

The focus of NBA-TV's telecast of the Cavaliers-Houston Rockets Summer League game Thursday night was Wiggins, the Cavs' 19-year-old slender, high-flying swing man, who was taken No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft.

I was a guest on the ESPN radio show of the respected analyst Dan Dakich earlier this week. When the Love-Wiggins trade rumors came up, Dakich said, "I like Wiggins. Don't love him. Love Kevin Love."

So there is that.

But Love is not remotely a lockdown defender while Wiggins has that potential. It was that, along with his immense up side on offense, that made him No. 1.

Absent Wiggins, who relieves LeBron James, "America's Hooper,"  for breathers when he is taking the opposing team's scoring beast? The roster as it is constituted now has no one for that role.

Does James have to play the same killing burden of minutes that he did with the Cavs the first time around? That won't work as he heads deeper into his 30s, a threshold he will reach on December 30.

Dakich's comments were not a valentine to the youth of the NBA, but how could they be in the one-and-done era of college basketball?

Love, by contrast, is a proven multiple All-Star (with, admittedly, no playoff appearances in Minnesota), a power forward who eats backboards and creates spacing with a three-point touch.

"Stretch 4's – good shooting power forwards – have been desired commodities ever since Dirk Nowitzki shot down James' first Miami team in the NBA Finals four years ago.

For his part, Wiggins showed a newly developed step-back jumper and the ability to bend his frame and create space in traffic on a layup.

He was victimized to some extent by the point guards, Houston's Isiah Canaan and the Cavs' Will Cherry. They turned the fourth quarter into the kind of one-upmanship we have occasionally seen from incumbent Cavs point man Kyrie Irving.

In the final seconds, Canaan, who was a D-League player after being drafted 34^th overall by Houston in the second round in 2013, took Wiggins off the dribble and scored the driving layup that beat back a Cavs' comeback from a double-digits deficit.

Canaan was a mid-major force in college basketball, helping 13^th seeded Murray State stun fourth-seeded Vanderbilt in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. The Racers took eventual national runner up Butler to a two-point loss in the next round.

Wiggins then had the ball stolen by former Arizona star Nick Johnson, the No. 42^nd pick of this year's draft, as the Cavs tried to counter in the 96-90 loss.

Wiggins sometimes tried to do too much, as when his attempt to split a double earlier in the game became a turnover and a Houston fast break. Johnson sailed in for what seemed to be an open layup when Wiggins, who never gave up on the play, showed all the defensive grit the scouts raved about. He ran Johnson down for an emphatic "chase down" block that was James' signature play on defense as a Cavalier.

Wiggins scored 21 points, his NBA Summer League high, in the Houston game, doing so with a strange scoring line –- three for five from the field, 15 for 20 from the free throw line. It wasn't as quirky as Daniel "Boobie" Gibson's 31 points on nine shots as the Cavs vaulted into the NBA Finals in 2007 in the high-water mark of the first James years. But it was close.

It showed that Wiggins is not afraid of contact. It is also the trademark of a true scorer, as opposed to a shooter. A scorer can get into the paint and get to the line when open looks are rare. James is always among the league leaders in free throws tried.

It also showed that Wiggins will need time to grow into the expectations that come with being the top draft pick in the league. Anthony Bennett, while making definite strides, is still working on "useful," never mind "dominant," after being the overall top pick with the Cavs in 2013's much weaker draft.

So: Love or Wiggins?

Do the Cavs want to win now? Or build a consistent contender?

Is James' two-year contract (with an opt-out clause after one year)  troubling? Both he and the Cavs say it is based on projected salary cap growth and higher wages in two seasons. But courting Love seems to indicate pressure, self-imposed in the kindest reading, to win now.

As a friend, the retired Bill Millsaps of the Richmond (Virginia) Times-Dispatch, wrote of Shaquille O'Neal when the latter was a slender-ish LSU freshman, "I have seen the future – and it needs work."

So does Wiggins. But is his future here?

John-Baptiste spent 17 years with the New York Giants before joining the Browns.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns have added a veteran media-relations chief with the mania surrounding Johnny Manziel about to reach another level.

The club named Peter John-Baptiste as its vice president of communications Friday. He's spent the past 17 years working for the New York Giants, including the last three years in the role he occupies with the Browns. John-Baptiste replaces Zak Gilbert, who resigned last month, and becomes the team's third PR director in three years.

"We are privileged to bring Peter to our staff," Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said in news release. "He is a high-quality individual with extensive NFL experience. Peter also has a stellar reputation with the New York Giants, as well as with local and national media. He will greatly benefit both our football and business communications."

John-Baptiste worked his way from Giants' intern to the top of the communications department in the world's most demanding media market. During his tenure, the Giants reached three Super Bowls, winning two. He also was invited to assist the league's public relations operations for seven additional Super Bowls and one Pro Bowl.

"I'm forever grateful to the Giants organization for giving me my first chance in the NFL and providing a place for me to evolve, grow and prepare for this position," John-Baptiste said in a news release. "My family is excited about moving to Northeast Ohio, and I look forward to working with the local media and Browns staff."

He arrives a week ahead of Browns training camp, which figures to be teeming with fans and national media after the club picked Manziel in the first round.

John-Baptiste, selected to attend Stanford University's Executive Education Program for NFL Managers in 2007, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in sport management at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Manager Terry Francona believes better defense will lead to improvements in other areas of the Indians' game over the last 2 1/2 months of the season.

DETROIT, Mich. – Quick hits from manager Terry Francona during his pre-game press conference Friday at Comerica Park.

D up: Francona echoed his center fielder Michael Brantley when asked what the Indians need to do most to improve their standing in the AL Central.

"The first thing that jumps out is catching the ball defensively," said Francona. "We've always said that for us to be the team we want to be we've got to play the game clean.

"We've had a lot of periods where we haven't and it's made it harder to win than it needed to be. You can't just push a button, but it's certainly something we know we have to get better at because it will allow us to get better in other areas."

The Indians lead the big leagues in errors.

Michael Bourn update: Bourn will join the Indians when they open a three-game series Monday in Minnesota. He is currently on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring.

Francona said Bourn has been running on a treadmill that prevents him from putting all his body weight on his legs. He'll start working out on the field in a few days.

LeBron fan: Francona says he's in the process of buying Cavaliers season tickets following the addition of LeBron James.

"There seems to be a little more of a waiting list now," he said with a smile.

He's back: Victor Martinez is back in the Tigers' lineup and that usually means bad news for the Tribe. Martinez has been sidelined since July 4 with side and back problems. The injury prevented him from playing in the All-Star Game.

"I'm guessing we're hoping there will be some rust," said Francona. "He's probably the perfect protection for Miggy (Miguel Cabrera). He's a switch-hitter who puts the ball in play. He's having a fantastic year."

Martinez, signed and developed by the Indians, is hitting .336 (72-for-199) with 21 doubles, nine homers and 46 RBI in 54 games against the Indians.

Anibal Sanchez will pitch for the Tigers; Trevor Bauer for the Tribe. The teams are playing for the first time since the All-Star Break.

DETROIT, Mich. - The Detroit Tigers will try to show that the All-Star Break hasn't slowed them down tonight as they play host to the Indians.

Detroit (53-38) won 17 of 23 before the break to move 6 1/2 games ahead of Kansas City. The Tigers fumbled away a seven-game lead over the Royals after losing 20 of 29 and trailed by 1 1/2 games June 18.

Anibal Sanchez (6-3, 3.04 ERA) will attempt to extend the Tigers' division lead with another solid outing against the Indians (47-47). Trevor Bauer (3-4, 3.84) also had one of his better outings just before the break. The right-hander pitched 6 2-3 scoreless innings and struck out a career-high 10 on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, but did not get a decision in a 3-2 victory.

Chat during the game in the comments below and be sure to check  cleveland.com/tribe all night for Paul Hoynes' coverage from Comerica Park.

Corey Kluber says the Indians were fortunate to go into the All-Star break at .500 and have a good chance to gain ground on their current 10-game, 11-day trip.

DETROIT, Mich. – The Kluber family spent the All-Star break at a lake in New Hampshire.

"We just relaxed by the water and had some low-stress days," said Corey Kluber, who will start the first game of Saturday's day-night doubleheader against Detroit right-hander Drew VerHagen.

Kluber said he didn't think about how he pitched over the Indians' first 94 games. He just relaxed.

Manager Terry Francona named Trevor Bauer to start Friday against the Tigers, the first game after the All-Star break, because he's been on a roll. Francona said he named Kluber to start the first game of Saturday's doubleheader because, "Corey has consistently given us innings, which could save the bullpen for the second game. You don't want to use those relievers twice in one day."

Kluber, the rotation's best starter in the first half, had no objection to the way it is unfolding coming out of the break.

"It worked out well for me," said Kluber. "I got a chance to get off the mound on Thursday. Not having pitched since my last game (June 30), that was good because you never want to go more than a week without going off the mound.

"And it kept Trevor on his fifth day and he's been throwing well. So it worked out well for him, too."

Kluber said he threw about 30 to 40 pitches during the optional workout Thursday evening at Comerica Park. He is 9-6 with a 3.01 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 131 2/3 innings. The Indians went into the break at 47-47, and have started a 10-game, 11-day trip against divisional foes Detroit, Minnesota and Kansas City. Detroit is in first place, the Royals second and the Tribe third in the AL Central.

"For all the inconsistencies that we've had, the fact that we're .500 is probably a good thing," said Kluber. "We were able to play better right before the break and got back to .500.

"The way I look at it is this road trip is a big opportunity for us.

"Some people might look at it and say we have to win, we have to play this good. I think it's an opportunity. We play three divisional opponents, two of them are ahead of us. This is a great chance to gain some ground."

David Murphy say it's not make-or-break time for the Indians, but it would be nice to make a positive statement on this current trip.

DETROIT, Mich. – Outfielder David Murphy says the Indians have a chance to prove something to themselves coming out of the All-Star break and diving into a 11-game, 10-day trip against AL Central foes Detroit, Minnesota and Kansas City.

"We have a chance to make a statement amongst ourselves and show what we're ready to do and how we're ready to play for the rest of the season," said Murphy.

The Indians went into the break at 18-19 in the AL Central.

"You always need to play well in your division to be where you want to be at the end of September," said Murphy. "It's not a make-or-break trip, but it would be nice to see us come off the All-Star break and play well."

So far, so good: Justin Masterson (right knee) said everything went well in his bullpen session Thursday. He's scheduled to throw 75 pitches Sunday in a rehab start at Class AAA Columbus.

Back-to-back: Trevor Bauer, according to STATS LLC, is the first Indians' pitcher to make consecutive starts in the team's games since Bert Blyleven in 1981. Blyleven started against the Angels on June 10, 1981 and started against on Aug. 10, 1981. The downtime was caused by a strike.

Bauer started against the White Sox on July 13 on the last game before the All-Star break and started Friday night against the Tigers.

He is the second pitcher to do it this season. Dodger lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu started against Arizona on March 3 in Australia. Then he came back to start against the Padres on March 30. The Dodgers returned to spring training after opening the regular season in Australia.

Game time: The Indians-Yankee game on Aug. 10 will start at 1:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

Finally: Chris Dickerson, who missed the last two games before the All-Star break because of a sore left hamstring, was back in the lineup Friday night.

Both Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett were held out of the game by the coaches.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett were held out of the Cleveland Cavaliers' summer league finale against the Miami Heat on Friday night, but the Cavs still found a way to win, 95-90.

Guard Steven Gray out of Gonzaga led Cleveland with 17 points. Forward Dwight Powell added 15, and forward Shane Edwards 14. Guard Tyler Johnson had 20 for Miami.

Cleveland lost its first playoff game on Thursday night to the Houston Rockets, dropping it into the consolation group and eliminating the Cavs' chance to win the Summer League championship.

The Cavaliers said both Wiggins and Bennett - the No. 1 picks in the last two NBA drafts - would warm up and were dressed, but that both had already given the team all it needed to see in four previous games in Las Vegas. The Cavs went 4-1 in Vegas.

Friday's game was the summer finale for both the Cavaliers and Heat. Wiggins averaged 15.5 points and Bennett averaged 13.3.

- Information from The Associated Press was used in this post.

The Indians are 9-4 in July.

CLEVELAND -- The Indians played the Detroit Tigers in the first of a four-game series Friday. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff:

Game: 95.

Opponent: Tigers.

Location: Comerica Park, Detroit.

Time of day: Night.

Time elapsed: 3 hours, 32 minutes.

Attendance: 42,255.

Result: Indians 9, Tigers 3.

Records: Indians 48-47, Tigers 53-39.

Nick Camino Scoreboard Watch: The Indians pulled within 6.5 games of first-place Detroit in the AL Central.

Heating up: The Tribe is 9-4 in July.

Inching ahead: The Indians lead the season series, 5-4. They are 2-1 in Detroit.

Back-to-back late comebacks: In their final game before the All-Star break, last Sunday in Cleveland, the Indians scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the White Sox, 3-2.

In their first game out of the break, the Indians scored seven in the seventh to take a 7-3 lead. They tacked on two in the ninth.

Starring roles: Indians righty Trevor Bauer and second baseman Jason Kipnis laid the foundation for victory. Bauer crafted his third consecutive quality start (6 IP, 3 ER) and Kipnis hit two homers and helped throw out a runner at the plate.

Bauer power: Bauer allowed six hits, walked one and struck out five. He threw 67 of 101 pitches for strikes.

Bauer (4-4, 3.89 ERA) delivered the quality start, on the road, against a first-place club whose offense is dynamic, despite not possessing anywhere close to his best stuff. His breaking pitches, in particular, were inconsistent.

Bauer simply figured out how to get through six innings and keep his team in the game. When he walked off the mound for the final time, the Tribe trailed, 3-0. If Bauer had succumbed to his lack of top-notch stuff, the deficit would have been larger and realistic chances for a comeback jeopardized.

On the board: No question that pitching victories can be overrated, but that shouldn't preclude Bauer from feeling good about his first career road victory. He had been 0-5 in nine road starts, with 30 earned runs allowed in 40 2/3 innings.

Three for the money: In his past three starts, Bauer is 2-0 with a 2.29 ERA. In 19 2/3 innings, he has allowed 18 hits, walked six and struck out 21.

Flexing: Leadoff batter Kipnis went 2-for-5 with four RBI and two runs. It was his second career multihomer game.

Kipnis's homers were his fourth and fifth. He had not gone deep since April 21 against Kansas City.

Kipnis entered Friday at 1-for-19 with one walk and five strikeouts against the Tigers this season.

Out of nowhere: The Indians turned a stress-free outing for Tigers righty Anibal Sanchez into a loss with the seven-run seventh. Sanchez, a terrific pitcher and perhaps MLB's most underrated, had allowed three singles through six and led, 3-0.

Detroit used four pitchers in the seventh. Here is a breakdown of the Tribe at-bats, with the result of the last pitch in each:

Michael Brantley -- 1-2 sinker away, chopped over middle and off shortstop Eugenio Suarez's glove for single. Brantley was the Tribe's first leadoff batter to reach. He stole second (11-for-11 in steals this season).

Carlos Santana -- 3-1 changeup, walk (Sanchez's first walk).

Lonnie Chisenhall -- 1-1 slider/cutter on inner half, single to right. Bases loaded. Good piece of hitting by Chisenhall.

Nick Swisher -- 0-0 hanging slider/cutter on inner half, two-run single to right. Swisher had struck out in his previous two trips and was not willing to spot Sanchez anything. Lefty Ian Krol relieved Sanchez.

Pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn (for David Murphy) -- 1-1 fastball on inner half, RBI double to right. Other runners advanced to second and third. Righty Al Alburquerque relieved Krol.

Yan Gomes -- 2-2 slider down and away, swinging strikeout.

Chris Dickerson -- 0-2 fastball outer half, swinging strikeout.

Kipnis -- 1-2 slider (86 mph) on inner half, three-run homer to right for 6-3 lead. Al Al, the gift that keeps on giving to Cleveland, got ahead, 0-2 -- meaning he was one strike from stranding runners on second and third after none out. Al Al threw a fastball that was outside; credit plate umpire Laz Diaz for not playing to the loud crowd and expanding the zone. Kipnis fouled the next pitch, a slider down and in. For some reason, Al Al doubled up with the slide piece, and Kipnis hammered it.

Kipnis had been 4-for-31 (.129) with two outs and runners in scoring position.

Asdrubal Cabrera -- 0-0 fastball (93), homer to right. Lefty Blaine Hardy relieved Al Al.

Brantley -- 0-0 fastball, single to left.

Santana -- 1-1 changeup, pop to second.

Sanchez finished with four runs given up in six-plus innings. He slipped to 6-4 with a 3.22 ERA.

Piling on: The Tribe scored twice in the ninth when Kipnis homered and Swisher hit an RBI double.

Piece by piece: Here is the breakdown of Detroit's ABs against Bauer, with the final pitch of each listed:

First inning: Austin Jackson -- 0-2 curve outer half (79 mph), grounder to second; Ian Kinsler -- 0-0 change (84), fly to track in left; Miguel Cabrera -- 2-1 off-speed pitch (79), foul pop to first.

The skinny -- Bauer got away with two bad pitches: the 0-0 changeup to Kinsler and 2-1 off-speed pitch to Miggy. Both provided time and swing room for damage; Kinsler and Cabrera just missed them. The velocity of the pitch to Miggy falls in Bauer's overhand curve range, but it didn't look like it on release.

Second inning: Victor Martinez -- 2-2 fastball (95), swinging strikeout; J.D. Martinez -- 2-1 fastball (94), foul fly to right; Torii Hunter -- 2-2 curve (79), swinging strikeout.

The skinny: Bauer surprised Vic with a fastball upstairs the pitch after Vic fouled a fastball inside. Hunter thought he had checked on the curve in the dirt; Diaz correctly said he went too far.

Third inning: Nick Castellanos -- 0-1 curve (79), double; Alex Avila -- 1-2 curve (78), single; Suarez -- 1-1 fastball (93), pop to center; Jackson -- 3-2 fastball (94), ball for walk; Kinsler -- 2-2 breaking pitch (82), sacrifice fly to center; Miggy --  0-0 curve (79), fly to center.

The skinny: Bauer gets high marks for limiting the Tigers to one run. He made a good pitch to Castellanos, who hit it off the end of the bat for a bloop double near the right-field line. The pitch was off the plate. Bauer, ahead in the count against Avila, made a bad pitch. The curve stayed up, enabling Avila to punch it to center.  Against Jackson, Bauer's 2-2 and 3-2 pitches were balls out of the hand. Bauer left the breaking ball up to Kinsler but kept it on the outside corner. Bauer got away with a hanger to Miggy, who was too eager. As with Kinsler, the ball was on the outer half.

Fourth inning: V-Mart -- 1-2 curve (79), single; J.D.-Mart -- 1-2 fastball (95), single; Hunter -- 2-2 slider (81), RBI double; Castellanos 2-2 fastball (96), fly to center; Avila -- changeup, grounder to first. 

The skinny: Vic beat shift by grounding sharply past diving Kipnis in shallow right. J.D. did well to drop the barrel on a fastball on the inside corner. Bauer got ahead of Hunter, 0-2, but failed to put him away. He threw an 0-2 fastball high and 1-2 breaking pitch in dirt. The decisive breaking pitch was off the plate but didn't have enough bite, and Hunter shot it into the right-field corner. A strong relay from Kipnis cut down J.D-Mart at the plate. (When Bauer reflects on the AB, he probably is going to second-guess himself for not throwing at least one more fastball inside -- a pitch Hunter visibly doesn't like.) During Castellanos' AB, Hunter stole third on Bauer, who didn't pay enough attention to him. Catcher Gomes short-hopped the throw to third and into left field; Hunter scored for a 3-0 lead.

Fifth inning: Suarez -- 1-2 fastball, called strikeout; Jackson -- 0-2 curve, grounder to third; Kinsler -- 1-0 changeup, pop to short.

The skinny: Good bounce-back inning from Bauer.

Sixth inning: Miggy -- 3-2 fastball, single; V-Mart -- 2-2 slider (81), called strikeout; J.D.-Mart -- 3-2 fastball, swinging strikeout; Hunter -- 0-2 curve, grounder to short.

The skinny: Miggy singled off a quality pitch. The slider that froze V-Mart was A-plus -- by far Bauer's best of the night. With J.D.-Mart batting, Cabrera stole second off Bauer, who paid no attention to him. Bauer rallied to strike out J.D.-Mart on a high heater and get Hunter to roll over a good curve.

Spotlight on....Miguel Cabrera. Here are the ABs from the two-time defending AL MVP:

First inning vs. Bauer (none on, two outs) -- 83 slider away, ball; 92 fastball, foul; 93 fastball high and in, ball; 79 curve, foul pop to first.

The skinny: Miggy's timing was off.

Third inning vs. Bauer (runners on first and third, two outs) -- 79 curve away, fly to center.

The skinny: Miggy guessed, incorrectly, that Bauer would throw a first-pitch fastball.  He committed to the swing too early and couldn't keep the hands back.

Sixth inning vs. Bauer (none on, none out) -- fastball outer half, foul; fastball high, ball; slider down and away, swinging strike; curve in dirt, ball; fastball high and tight, ball; fastball, foul; fastball inside, single to right.

The skinny: On the penultimate pitch, Cabrera was expecting an off-speed pitch. He was late on the fastball but spoiled it. Bauer came back with a heater that Cabrera fought off. Cabrera beat the shift: The ball traveled over the spot vacated by Kipnis.

Eighth inning vs. Bryan Shaw (none on, one out) -- fastball outside, ball; fastball away, single to right.

The skinny: Miggy settled for a single.