Tigers dodge series sweep with 7-5 wn over Indians

Miguel Cabrera homered, Brennan Boesch broke out of a slump with a pair of hits, and Casey Crosby earned his first major league win as the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians, 7-5.

Cleveland nearly rallied from a 7-1 deficit but, with the Tigers leading by two, the Indians left the bases loaded in the seventh and two on in the eighth.

Detroit avoided a three-game sweep and beat the Indians for the first time in six meetings this year.

Crosby (1-1) allowed three runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings in his second career start. Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save in 13 chances.

Up next for the Tigers is a weekend trip to Cincinnati to face the Reds in what some call it the "Sparky series" in honor of the late-great Sparky Anderson, who managed both teams to World Series championships (1975 & 1976 with the Reds; 1984 with the Tigers).