A four-run explosion in the first inning propelled the Indians to a 5-4 triumph over the Tigers. After two outs in the initial frame, a double by Johnny Grubb, walk to Andre Thornton and infield hit by Bernie Carbo filled the bases. Grubb scored on a wild pitch. Gary Alexander then unloaded a three-run homer into the left field seats.

Alexander scored what proved to be the winning run in the fourth when he singled, moved to third on a single by Duane Kuiper and scored on a sacrifice fly by Tom Veryzer. Strong relief pitching by Dan Spillner preserved the victory for the Tribe. [The Sporting News]

Cleveland Indians 5, Detroit Tigers 4

Game Played on Monday, June 26, 1978 (Night game) at Cleveland Stadium

Tigers 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 - 4 8 0 Indians 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 x - 5 8 0 Tigers AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Indians AB R H RBI BB SO AVG LeFlore cf 4 0 0 0 1 3 .259 Dade rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .290 Kemp lf 4 0 0 1 1 2 .276 Manning cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .253 Staub dh 5 1 1 0 0 0 .288 Grubb lf 4 1 1 0 0 0 .239 Thompson 1b 4 0 1 1 0 2 .309 Thornton 1b 2 1 1 0 2 0 .275 Rodriguez 3b 4 0 1 1 0 0 .272 Carbo dh 3 1 1 0 0 0 .260 Stanley rf 3 0 1 0 0 1 .218 Alexander c 3 2 2 3 0 1 .226 Corcoran ph,rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 .250 Cox 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 .221 Parrish c 3 0 1 0 0 1 .213 Kuiper 2b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .255 May ph,c 1 0 0 0 0 1 .264 Veryzer ss 2 0 0 1 0 0 .254 Trammell ss 3 1 1 0 1 0 .270 Hood p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Whitaker 2b 3 2 2 0 1 1 .305 Monge p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Billingham p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Spillner p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 35 4 8 3 4 12 Totals 28 5 8 4 2 1 Time of Game: 2:24 Attendance: 4,633 Left on Base: Tigers 8, Indians 2 DP: Tigers 2, Indians 0 Doubles: Grubb (7) Home Runs: Alexander (13) Stolen Bases: LeFlore (24) Caught Stealing: Thornton (5) Sacrifice Flies: Veryzer (3) GIDP: Thornton (6) Tigers IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Billingham L(5-5) 8 8 5 5 2 1 1 31 4.32 Totals 8 8 5 5 2 1 1 31 Indians IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Hood W(4-3) 6.1 6 4 3 4 7 0 29 4.48 Monge 0.1 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 2.39 Spillner SV(1) 2.1 0 0 0 0 5 0 7 3.89 Totals 9 8 4 3 4 12 0 39 Passed Balls: Alexander (1) Wild Pitches: Billingham (5), Hood (5) Umpires: HP - Larry Barnett, 1B - Jim Evans, 2B - Durwood Merrill, 3B - Marty Springstead TIGERS 1ST: LeFlore was called out on strikes; Kemp struck out; Staub singled to left; Thompson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Tigers 0, Indians 0. INDIANS 1ST: Dade flied out to right; Manning grounded out (second to first); Grubb doubled to right; Thornton walked; Carbo singled to shortstop [Grubb to third, Thornton to second]; Billingham threw a wild pitch [Grubb scored, Thornton to third, Carbo to second]; Alexander homered [Thornton scored, Carbo scored]; Cox grounded out (second to first); 4 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0, Indians 4. TIGERS 2ND: Rodriguez grounded out (third to first); Stanley grounded out (shortstop to first); Parrish flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0, Indians 4. INDIANS 2ND: Kuiper flied out to left; Veryzer flied out to center; Dade singled to left; Manning grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Tigers 0, Indians 4. TIGERS 3RD: Trammell singled to right; Whitaker walked [Trammell to second]; LeFlore forced Trammell (shortstop to third) [Whitaker to second]; Kemp grounded out (second to first) [Whitaker to third, LeFlore to second]; Staub grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Tigers 0, Indians 4. INDIANS 3RD: Grubb flied out to left; Thornton singled to left; Carbo lined into a double play (second to first) [Thornton out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0, Indians 4. TIGERS 4TH: Thompson grounded out (second to first); Rodriguez made an out to shortstop; Stanley struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 0, Indians 4. INDIANS 4TH: Alexander singled to left; Cox flied out to right; Kuiper singled to right [Alexander to third]; Veryzer hit a sacrifice fly to right [Alexander scored]; Dade grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Tigers 0, Indians 5. TIGERS 5TH: Parrish was called out on strikes; Trammell walked; Whitaker singled to right [Trammell to third]; Hood threw a wild pitch [Trammell scored, Whitaker to second]; Alexander allowed a passed ball [Whitaker to third]; LeFlore walked; LeFlore stole second; Kemp grounded out (second to first) [Whitaker scored (unearned), LeFlore to third]; Staub grounded out (shortstop to first); 2 R (1 ER), 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Tigers 2, Indians 5. INDIANS 5TH: Manning singled to shortstop; Grubb flied out to left; Thornton grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Manning out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 2, Indians 5. TIGERS 6TH: Thompson was called out on strikes; Rodriguez flied out to right; Stanley singled to left; Parrish singled to second [Stanley to third]; Trammell flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Tigers 2, Indians 5. INDIANS 6TH: Carbo grounded out (pitcher to first); Alexander struck out; Cox grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 2, Indians 5. TIGERS 7TH: Whitaker singled to center; LeFlore struck out; Kemp walked [Whitaker to second]; MONGE REPLACED HOOD (PITCHING); Staub forced Kemp (pitcher to shortstop) [Whitaker to third]; Thompson singled to right [Whitaker scored, Staub to third]; Rodriguez singled to center [Staub scored, Thompson to second]; SPILLNER REPLACED MONGE (PITCHING); CORCORAN BATTED FOR STANLEY; Corcoran was called out on strikes; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Tigers 4, Indians 5. INDIANS 7TH: CORCORAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Kuiper grounded out (shortstop to first); Veryzer grounded out (third to first); Dade grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 4, Indians 5. TIGERS 8TH: MAY BATTED FOR PARRISH; May struck out; Trammell flied out to right; Whitaker struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 4, Indians 5. INDIANS 8TH: MAY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C ); Manning grounded out (shortstop to first); Grubb lined to second; Thornton walked; Thornton was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 4, Indians 5. TIGERS 9TH: LeFlore was called out on strikes; Kemp struck out; Staub popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Tigers 4, Indians 5.

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