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.