Kluber grabs 1st career victory as Indians top Tigers

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber throws against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning of a baseball game in Detroit.

DETROIT — Asdrubal Cabrera's tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the seventh inning lifted the Cleveland Indians to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers today, giving right-hander Corey Kluber his first career victory.

Detroit entered the day tied for first in the AL Central. The game was tied at 2 in the seventh when reliever Darin Downs (1-1) allowed two singles and a walk to load the bases with one out. Cabrera then lifted a fly to center off Brayan Villarreal.

Kluber (1-3) allowed two runs and six hits in six innings in his seventh career start. He struck out four and walked one.

Vinnie Pestano allowed two baserunners in the ninth but escaped for his second save.

Detroit starter Anibal Sanchez allowed two unearned runs in six innings.

The Tigers were coming off a three-game sweep of Chicago that pulled them even with the White Sox atop the division. They were sloppy early on in this one, allowing unearned runs in the first and third. Alex Avila's two-out passed ball allowed Cleveland to open the scoring, and a throwing error by Avila put a man on third two innings later.

Detroit brought the infield in, and Cabrera singled up the middle.

The Tigers scored in the first on a single by Delmon Young and in the fourth on a single by Jhonny Peralta. With men on first and second and nobody out in the fourth, Avila hit into a double play, enabling Kluber to limit the damage.

Detroit fell a half-game behind the White Sox, who were playing later against Minnesota.

Kluber pitched briefly for the Indians last year and was knocked around in his first three starts of 2012. But in his last four, he's allowed six earned runs in 22 innings, striking out 19 and walking six.

Cody Allen pitched the seventh for Cleveland, and Esmil Rogers worked the eighth. Detroit's Andy Dirks hit a deep fly to center in the eighth that was caught, and third baseman Brent Lillibridge made a diving stop on Miguel Cabrera's grounder.

Prince Fielder doubled to start the Detroit ninth but was unable to move to third on Delmon Young's tapper. Brennan Boesch was hit by a pitch, but he and Fielder were stranded when Jhonny Peralta struck out and Avila hit a grounder between first and second.

Avila's hit nearly made it through, but second baseman Jason Kipnis ranged to his left to make the stop and threw to Pestano covering first.

NOTES: Downs had pitched only 15 2-3 innings in his career before this game, although he came in with a 1.72 ERA. ... Detroit RHP Rick Porcello (9-10) faces Cleveland RHP Justin Masterson (10-12) on Tuesday night.