Armando Galarraga and two relievers blank Indians on three-hitters. Justin Masterson loses his 12th game of the season.
UPDATED: 10:22 p.m.
DETROIT, Mich. -- There would be no heartbreak tempered by victory tonight for Armando Galarraga. Just a solid victory over the team he should have thrown a perfect game against on June 2.
Galarraga threw seven scoreless innings as the Tigers shut out the Indians, 6-0, Friday night at Comerica Park. Galarraga, Ryan Perry and Phil Coke combined on a three-hitter.
The Indians have lost 10 of their last 14 games. The Tigers won for just the seventh time in their last 18 games.
On June 2, Galarraga was robbed of a perfect when umpire Jim Joyce missed a call on what should have been the 27th and final out. He called Jason Donald safe when he was clearly out.
There was no such drama Friday, but Galarraga gave it a try. He retired 14 straight before Jayson Nix doubled to deep left field with two out in the fifth to ruin the perfect game and no-hitter.
On June 2, Galarraga settled for a one-hitter. He could not repeat that feat Friday. Lou Marson collected the Indians second hit with a single in the sixth and Shin-Soo Choo added a third hit in the seventh.
The win was Galarraga's first since June 24. Galarrage (3-5, 4.41) matched a career high with eight strikeouts. He allowed three hits and threw 100 pitches, including 73 strikes.
The Tigers took advantage of some more shoddy defense by the Indians to take an early lead against Justin Masterson (4-12, 5.33). Austin Jackson opened the game with a single. Will Rhymes bunted him to second, but Jackson scored when Marson threw the ball down the right field line.
Marson almost broke second baseman Luis Valbuena's arm on the throw. Valbuena came over to cover first, but Marson threw the ball into the runner. Valbuena tried to reach around Rhmes and make the play, but collided with the Tigers second baseman.
Valbuiena was down for several minutes, but stayed in the game. Rhymes, who went to second on the error, scored when Miguel Cabrera singled over Choo's head in right field. Choo recovered in time to throw him out at second.
The Tigers made it 4-0 with two more runs in the second. The two runs came on four straight hits off Masterson. After Brandon Inge and Don Kelly singled, Gerald Laird delivered Inge with a single to left and Jackson singled home Kelly.
The Tigers closed out the scoring with single runs in the fourth and eighth innings.
Masterson allowed five runs on 11 hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out five and threw 113 pitches, 76 for strikes.
He is 1-5 in his last nine starts. In those starts, he's allowed 35 earned runs, 64 hits and 25 walks in 40 2/3 innings. His ERA in that stretch is 7.75.
This was the 10th time the Indians have been shut out this season.