Tigers defeat Indians, 4-2.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Doug Fister is no Justin Verlander, but he could have fooled the untrained eye Monday afternoon.
Fister gave up one earned run in eight innings and struck out a career-high 13 as the Tigers defeated the Indians, 4-2, at Progressive Field.
Detroit (79-62) leads second-place Cleveland by 7 1/2 games in the AL Central.
The Tigers have won 14 of 18 since Aug. 19 to increase their division lead by six games.
The Tribe (70-68) has lost five straight to Detroit. Verlander, the leading candidate for AL Cy Young, pitches Wednesday afternoon in the finale of the three-game series.
Fister, acquired from Seattle on July 30, has allowed three earned runs in his last 29 2/3 innings of four starts.
The Tigers built a 3-0 advantage in the fourth. With one out, former Indian Victor Martinez hit a three-run homer off right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez. Martinez cleared the hips on a 2-2 fastball on the inside corner and ripped it far over the wall in right. The ball traveled an estimated 420 feet.
Delmon Young had begun the uprising with a one-out single to center. He moved to second when Cabrera walked for the second time.
The Indians scored in the fifth.
Jason Donald led off with a single up the middle. Donald advanced to second on Fister's errant pickoff attempt and to third on Lou Marson's grounder to second. Grady Sizemore grounded sharply up the middle, where shortstop Jhonny Peralta made a sliding grab and threw to first baseman Miguel Cabrera as Donald scored.
The run was unearned against Fister's record.
Detroit made it 4-1 in the eighth. The Indians failed to turn two on Cabrera's bases-loaded grounder to third.
Kosuke Fukudome answered with a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth.
Jose Valverde worked a perfect ninth for his 41st save in 41 opportunities.
The Indians loaded the bases with two outs in the third.
Fister retired the first seven before plunking Donald on the back of the left hand. Lou Marson hit a potential double-play grounder to second that Ramon Santiago booted. Santiago was too eager to flip to second and failed to secure the ball.
Sizemore struck out swinging at a 91-mph fastball that had late life and tailed away. Fukudome's liner off Fister caromed to Peralta, Donald stopping at third.
Asdrubal Cabrera struck out swinging at a looping curveball on his hands.
Jimenez gave up two hits, walked three and struck out eight in seven innings. He threw 117 pitches. Joe Smith relieved to start the eighth.
Jimenez pitched the first two innings as if someone had dumped his books in the hallway on the way to class.
Jimenez struck out the side on 14 pitches in the first. He caught Austin Jackson looking and got Andy Dirks and Young swinging.
Cabrera led off the Detroit second with a walk. He fell behind, 0-2, then took four balls. After Marinez flied to left, Alex Avila and Peralta struck out swinging.
The Tigers grounded out three times in the third.
The lanky Fister manages to stay compact with his delivery. He does not throw especially hard, but his fastball has late movement and his off-speed stuff has depth. Fister makes hitters earn their way on base: In his six starts for Detroit entering Monday, he walked two and struck out 23.