Tigers beat Guardians 4-2 to end 8-game skid and move back into tie for AL Central lead

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jahmai Jones led off the game with a home run and the Detroit Tigers snapped an eight-game losing streak, beating Cleveland 4-2 on Thursday night to move back into a tie with the Guardians for the AL Central lead.

Detroit and Cleveland are 86-73 with three games left to play. The Guardians hold the tiebreaker after going 8-5 in the season series.

The Tigers head to Boston, where the Red Sox have a one-game lead for the AL's second wild card. The Guardians will host Texas, which has lost nine of 10.

Wenceel Pérez and Riley Greene also homered off Cleveland starter Parker Messick (3-1).

Brant Hurter (4-3) got the win, and Will Vest picked up his 22nd save in 29 opportunities.

Troy Melton allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings in what was a bullpen game for the Tigers.

C.J. Kayfus and José Ramírez had RBI doubles for the Guardians, who are 18-6 in September.

Messick allowed four runs in five innings, snapping a 19-game streak where Cleveland's starting rotation had allowed two or fewer runs in 19 consecutive games, which matched the 2019 Tampa Bay Rays and 1916 New York Giants for the second-longest streak since the mound was moved.

Key moment

Jones drove a sinker from Messick on a full count 400 feet over the wall in left for his third career leadoff home run.

Key stat

Ramírez's double was his 726th extra-base hit, passing Earl Averill (725) for the most in franchise history. Ramírez has 398 doubles, 43 triples and 285 home runs in his 13-year career.

Up next

Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (14-6, 3.91 ERA) goes on Friday in the opener at Fenway Park.

Guardians: RHP Slade Cecconi (7-6, 4.15 ERA) takes the mound on Friday against Texas.