Read More: Victor Martinez (DH – DET), Fausto Carmona (P – CLE), Justin Verlander (P – DET), Miguel Cabrera (1B – DET), Justin Masterson (P – CLE), Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians, Sep 7, 2011 12:05 PM EDT

(Sports Network) – If the Cleveland Indians want to avoid a back-breaking three-game sweep at the hands of the first-place Detroit Tigers, all they have to do is beat baseball’s current wins leader and American League Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander.

That mountainous task is in front of the Tribe this afternoon in the final of a three-game set as losses in the first two games of this series have dropped Cleveland 8 1/2 games behind Detroit in the American League Central. Following a competitive loss in Monday’s opener, the Indians struggled early in a 10-1 defeat last night.

Now they must battle Verlander, who takes aim at a 10th consecutive victory as he looks to solidify not only his bid for the Cy Young, but also the AL MVP.

Verlander has allowed one run or fewer five times over his win streak while going at least eight innings in all but one of them. He picked up an 8-1 victory over the White sox on Friday, hurling 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts. He is 21-8 with a league-leading 2.34 earned run average, becoming the first Tiger pitcher to win at least 21 games in a season since Jack Morris in 1986.

“Another stellar performance,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of Verlander. “It was kind of a neat night because Justin picked the guys up and the guys picked Justin up.”

The 28-year-old righty is 11-2 on the road this year and his current win streak includes a victory at Cleveland on Aug. 11. Verlander also beat the Indians on June 14 at home with a two-hit shutout that featured 12 strikeouts.

Detroit will look to support its ace with some more clutch hitting after scraping together five two-out runs in the first inning of Tuesday’s win. Miguel Cabrera had three of Detroit’s 15 hits while scoring twice and knocking in a run. Victor Martinez went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI in the blowout.

“Two-out hits are golden and we got a bunch of those early on,” said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, whose club also holds a healthy eight-game advantage over the White Sox after sweeping Chicago in three games before this series.

Fausto Carmona had his shortest outing of the season for the Indians, losers in four of six, as he was charged with seven runs on eight hits while recording only four outs.

“This was a series that we needed to win. It puts us in a pretty bad spot right now,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “We’re going to need a lot of help.”

Cleveland has lost six straight to Detroit and three in a row at home to the club since a 13-game series winning streak at Progressive Field. It will look to avoid the sweep today behind Justin Masterson, who has won three of his last four decisions.

Masterson is coming off a win at the Royals on Friday, yielding four runs on seven hits and a walk over seven innings.

“It was good,” the 26-year-old Masterson said of his outing. “We were winning and I still felt fine, but I was a little erratic.”

The right-hander improved to 11-8 with a 2.92 ERA on the season but is still in search of his first career win versus the Tigers. He is 0-3 with a 5.00 ERA lifetime against them and gave up two runs over two innings during an Aug. 9 meeting before having his outing cut short due to a rain delay.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Luke Hochevar pitched eight innings of three-hit ball and the Kansas City Royals handed the Cleveland Indians a costly loss, 5-1 on Saturday night.

Hochevar (10-10) allowed an unearned run, struck out eight and walked one while throwing a career-high 117 pitches. The right-hander improved to 5-2 with a 3.51 ERA in 10 starts since the All-Star break.

The Indians lost ground in the AL Central, falling to 6 1-2 games back of first-place Detroit. The Tigers rallied for a dramatic 9-8 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

The start of the game was delayed 20 minutes by rain, and showers caused another 16-minute break in the second inning. But it was smooth sailing from there, at least for the Royals.

Jeff Francoeur hit a two-run double in the first inning to give Kansas City a 2-1 lead. It was Francoeur’s 44th double of the season, tying the club record for an outfielder set by Jermaine Dye in 1999.

Alex Gordon added a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the second, Billy Butler doubled in a run in the fifth and Johnny Giavotella capped the scoring with his second homer in the sixth.

David Huff (2-3) pitched six innings for Cleveland and was charged with four earned runs and six hits.

Hochevar’s only mistake came in the first, when his errant throw on a pickoff attempt allowed Ezequiel Carrera to move from first to third. Carrera then scored on Carlos Santana’s sacrifice fly.

Hochevar improved to 1-2 with a 5.31 ERA in three starts against Cleveland this season. Greg Holland worked the ninth to finish the three-hitter and even the weekend series at one game apiece.

NOTES: Chris Getz started at shortstop for Kansas City after Alcides Escobar sprained his left ankle on Friday. Royals manager Ned Yost said he doesn’t anticipate Escobar being sidelined for long. To bolster their infield depth, the Royals recalled Yamaico Navarro from Triple-A Omaha. … The Indians kept SS Asdrubal Cabrera (left knee contusion) out of the lineup, but manager Manny Acta expects him back for the final game of the weekend series. “I’m very confident he’ll be able to play (Sunday),” Acta said. … Indians OF Grady Sizemore, battling back from a right knee injury, was scheduled to play nine innings for Triple-A Columbus on Saturday. Acta hasn’t ruled out the possibility that Sizemore could rejoin the Indians sometime next week.

This is exactly what the Kansas City Royals were looking for when they selected Luke Hochevar with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft.

Hochevar continued his strong second half of the season with eight innings of three-hit ball and the Royals handed the Cleveland Indians a costly loss, 5-1 on Saturday night.

Hochevar (10-10) allowed an unearned run, struck out eight and walked one while improving to 5-2 with a 3.51 ERA in 10 starts since the All-Star break.

“His sinker was as good as I’ve ever seen it,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He had tremendous movement to it and used all his pitches effectively tonight. That was a nice job by him.”

The Indians lost ground in the AL Central, falling to 6 1-2 games back of first-place Detroit. The Tigers rallied for a dramatic 9-8 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Hochevar threw a career-high 117 pitches, shaking off an errant pickoff attempt in the first inning that led to Cleveland’s only run.

“The key to it is having a simple approach and a clear approach,” Hochevar said. “You just kind of get out of your own way and let everything you’ve learned and experienced take over.”

Since the break, Hochevar has made a concentrated effort to keep batters honest by working inside. That approach has paid off with a string of positive outings.

“He was as good as we’ve seen him the last two years,” Cleveland manager Manny Acta said. “He had every one of his pitches working and he dominated our lineup. There’s not much we could do against him.”

Nothing rattled the right-hander, not even a bizarre play in the fifth when Jerad Head’s liner went through the webbing of first baseman Eric Hosmer’s glove on what was scored an error.

“That’s Rawlings’ fault,” Hosmer said with a laugh. “I had to get the glove all tightened up. That’s pretty weird.”

The start of the game was delayed 20 minutes by rain, and showers caused another 16-minute break in the second inning. But it was smooth sailing from there, at least for the Royals.

Jeff Francoeur hit a two-run double in the first inning to give Kansas City a 2-1 lead. It was Francoeur’s 44th double of the season, tying the club record for an outfielder set by Jermaine Dye in 1999.

Alex Gordon added a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the second, Billy Butler doubled in a run in the fifth and Johnny Giavotella capped the scoring with his second homer in the sixth.

David Huff (2-3) pitched six innings for Cleveland and was charged with four earned runs and six hits.

Hochevar’s only mistake came in the first, when his wayward throw on a pickoff attempt allowed Ezequiel Carrera to move from first to third. Carrera then scored on Carlos Santana’s sacrifice fly.

“(Hochevar) was working fast and keeping us on our toes out there,” Hosmer said. “It seemed like we were on offense most of the game. It was his night and he threw a great game.”

NOTES: Chris Getz started at shortstop for Kansas City after Alcides Escobar sprained his left ankle on Friday. Yost said he doesn’t anticipate Escobar being sidelined for long. To bolster their infield depth, the Royals recalled Yamaico Navarro from Triple-A Omaha. … The Indians kept SS Asdrubal Cabrera (left knee contusion) out of the lineup, but Acta expects him back for the final game of the weekend series. “I’m very confident he’ll be able to play (Sunday),” Acta said. … Indians OF Grady Sizemore, battling back from a right knee injury, was scheduled to play nine innings for Triple-A Columbus on Saturday. Acta hasn’t ruled out the possibility that Sizemore could rejoin the Indians sometime next week.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It was hard to tell who the Indians were playing on a rainy Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.

On the field, it was the Kansas City Royals. On the scoreboard it was the Detroit Tigers. Consider this a doubleheader loss.

The Royals beat the Indians, 5-1, and the Tigers overcame an 8-1 deficit to beat the White Sox, 9-8, at Comerica Park in Detroit. The Tigers lead the Indians in the American League Central Division by 6 1/2 games, and unless manager Manny Acta’s lineup can conjure some magic from the disabled list or beyond, the six games they have left with the Tigers have lost their meaning.

Rookie reliever Josh Judy was in the bullpen checking the scoreboard Saturday. He saw that the Tigers were trailing, 8-1, early. After the second of two rainouts that delayed the Tribe game, Detroit was trailing, 8-6.

“Then they come back and win it,” Judy said. “That’s baseball at this time of the year. You’re always on the edge of your seat. It’s a roller-coaster ride.”

If this was the defining game of the Indians wondrous season, let it be remembered this way: The Tigers used a veteran lineup to run down the White Sox. The injury-ravaged Indians rolled out a lineup against Luke Hochevar with four rookies and Jason Donald, who has spent the majority of this season at Class AAA Columbus, playing for injured All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.

“That’s our team,” Acta said. “We can’t sit here and complain. They ran out four guys who were in [Class AAA] Omaha [Neb.] this year. And we ran out five who were in Columbus.

“We just have to fight and try to win the ballgame. That’s our team and we’d won six of the last nine. We just have to continue to play and battle until we can get some of those guys back from the DL.”

When asked about Detroit’s victory, Acta said it didn’t matter.

“It has nothing to do with us. We’re the Indians,” he said. “We’re not worried about Detroit. We’re worried about what we can do. Who cares what Detroit does if we don’t win?”

Hochevar (10-10, 4.76) had allowed 12 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings in two previous starts this year against the Indians. Saturday night, he went from punching bag to knockout artist.

He plowed through the Tribe’s lineup, allowing one unearned run in eight innings with eight strikeouts. He combined on a three-hitter with Greg Holland.

“That’s as good as we’ve seen him in two years,” Acta said. “He just dominated our lineup.”

Indians left-hander David Huff, with an assist from Mother Nature, lived up to his Rain Man nickname. The start of the game was delayed 20 minutes because of heavy rain. It was delayed again for 16 minutes in the top of the second.

Huff earned the nickname because when he pitches this season, whether it’s for the Indians or Class AAA Columbus, rain is usually involved.

“I didn’t even know it was raining until somebody told me,” Huff said. “I was just … that’s a shocker.”

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first. Ezequiel Carrera opened the game with a bloop single and raced to third on Hochevar’s errant pickoff attempt. Carlos Santana delivered him with a sacrifice fly.

The Royals came back to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first. They scored both runs with two out. After Melky Cabrera singled, Billy Butler flied out to right for the second out, but Eric Hosmer singled past Lonnie Chisenhall at third and Jeff Francoeur doubled into the right-field corner to score both runs. It was the 44th double for Francoeur this season.

Kansas City made it 3-1 in the second by taking advantage of an error by shortstop Jason Donald, who was starting in place of Cabrera.

Donald, with one out, couldn’t handle a bouncer by catcher Salvador Perez. Chris Getz moved him to third with a single to right. Perez scored on Alex Gordon’s fielder’s choice to second.

“David gave us the effort, but didn’t make pitches with two outs,” Acta said. “Still, we didn’t do anything offensively.”

Billy Butler’s two-out double to the wall in right field made it 4-1 in the fifth. Huff walked Alex Gordon, who stole second ahead of a bad throw by Santana.

In the sixth the Royals made it 5-1 on rookie second baseman Johnny Giavotella’s one-out homer. It was just the second homer Huff (2-3, 2.81) has allowed in seven appearances, including six starts. Both have been by right-handers.

Huff allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits in six innings.

“I was bummed out when I heard the Tigers won,” Huff said. “We’ve got a lot of winning to do. If we don’t our season is going to be over before we know it.”

To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158.

Twitter: @hoynsie

CLEVELAND, Ohio — How low can a division contender go?

The Indians can only hope they struck the nadir with a 12-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Friday night at Progressive Field.

Right-hander Carlos Carrasco gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings and was ejected after firing a fastball over the head of Billy Butler. The pitch came moments after Melky Cabrera hit a grand slam and admired it.

Score this game a 9.9 on the embarrassment scale for the Indians, who were blasted out of their own building by a young, hungry last-place club that thoroughly enjoyed itself. Having the blowout attended by 35,390 fans did not help matters.

“I’m glad it only counts as one,” Tribe manager Manny Acta said.

The Indians (52-51) have not acted like playoff contenders in the past three-plus weeks. They have lost three straight and seven of eight and are 5-12 since July 8.

The Tribe remains in second place behind Detroit in the AL Central, but the three teams in the rearview mirror keep gaining.

Butler cracked two homers as the Royals (45-61) pulled within 8 1/2 of the Indians with their seventh victory in 10 games. They were coming off a four-game split in Boston, so taking on the slumping Indians in Cleveland is no big deal.

Tribe right fielder Kosuke Fukudome, acquired from the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, went 0-for-4 in his first game in the American League. That the Indians are expected to import more help before the non-waiver trade deadline Sunday afternoon mattered little to Acta late Friday night.

“The guys in our clubhouse are going to have to be the ones who snap out of it,” he said. “This is our team right here. We’re not going to switch 10 guys. We already brought in a guy. There’s no magic switch.”

An assembly-line defeat for the Tribe took on a nasty edge in the fourth.

With the Royals leading, 3-0, Brayan Pena and Chris Getz opened with singles. They moved up on a sacrifice bunt by No. 9 batter Alcides Escobar. Alex Gordon was intentionally walked.

Cabrera, smelling a first-pitch meatball, got one. He parked it over the wall in right. “The Melk Man” stood for a couple of seconds as the ball disappeared into seats.

Butler had barely gotten settled in the box when Carrasco buzzed his tower. Plate umpire Scott Barry immediately ejected Carrasco.

“Carlos is a young guy, immature at times, and he showed his frustration the wrong way,” Acta said.

Acta said Carrasco was “talked to” by pitching coach Tim Belcher.

“We don’t condone those types of things,” Acta said. “Whether the ball got away from him or not, we don’t condone throwing at people’s heads. That’s a dangerous situation.”

Butler said: “It was definitely at my head. That’s too high. That’s not professional.”

Carrasco, as expected, admitted to nothing sinister.

“I wasn’t throwing at his head,” he said. “It was just a fastball that got away. I know it looks bad after the home run, but there’s nothing I can do.”

Tribe catcher Lou Marson stepped in front of Butler. They exchanged words briefly. Benches and bullpens emptied, but the umpires made sure they did not get together on the field.

As he was leaving, Carrasco yelled at a Royal. Carrasco said it was shortstop Escobar, but it appeared to be right fielder Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur said he was the target.

“I understand the game,” he said. “If he thought [Cabrera] pimped the home run, fine. Hit [Butler] in the side. Don’t hit him in the head. That’s why I was yelling at him.”

Carrasco said he saw Cabrera seemingly admiring his blast, but again insisted it did not play a role in his pitch to Butler. Acta said it doesn’t matter whether Cabrera hot-dogged or not.

“He’s got a right to do what he wants to do,” Acta said. “He’s been around this league for a long time. You can look at it as he might have showed [Carrasco] up, but that’s part of the game. You’ve got to make pitches.”

Cabrera said he did not intend to offend.

“It was a home run,” he said. “I didn’t stand there on purpose. I didn’t look at the pitcher.”

Chad Durbin relieved. When Cabrera came up with the bases loaded in the fifth, Durbin threw a pitch above the waist that sent Cabrera spinning away. Cabrera has two career slams, both in Cleveland.

Carrasco’s (8-9) ERA rose from 4.25 to 4.67.

“Carlos really struggled with his command,” Acta said. “He put himself in hitters’ counts all the time, and those guys teed off on him.”

The Royals finished with 16 hits. Every starter had at least one.

Tribe hitters, coming off a series in which three quality Los Angeles Angels righties handled them, had a right to think they were getting a break in facing Royals lefty Jeff Francis. A finesse pitcher, Francis entered with a 3-11 record and 4.65 ERA. He had allowed 150 hits in 127 2/3 innings.

The Indians rocked him April 27 in Cleveland.

But Francis, as soft-tossing lefties have been apt to do for years against Cleveland teams, got the results of Steve Carlton. Francis gave up four hits in eight innings, walked one and struck out six.

Royals hitters enabled Francis to work low-pressure innings. They scored two in the first and one in the second, then blew it open with the four-run fourth.

Indians nemesis Butler hit a two-run homer off Carrasco in the first — Butler’s fourth straight game with a long ball. Alex Gordon homered in the second.

In the Tribe second, Orlando Cabrera ripped a one-out single to left. It was the Indians’ first hit in 70 hours, dating to the ninth inning Tuesday night. The Angels’ Ervin Santana threw a no-hitter Wednesday afternoon and the Indians had an off-day Thursday.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dmanoloff@plaind.com, 216-999-4664

On Twitter: dmansworldpd