Byrd Gets 100th Career Victory

Paul Byrd pitched seven strong innings to earn his 100th career victory as the Indians defeated the Detroit Tigers, 4-2 Friday night. Casey Blake doubled home two runs, Ryan Garko homered and Joe Borowski worked the ninth inning for the save. It was a solid game of well-played baseball after Cleveland's wild series in Texas against the Rangers where all four games resembled softball scores.

Byrd (3-5, 4.66 ERA) gave up four hits over seven innings, including solo homers to Brandon Inge and Jeff Larish. The veteran struck out two without issuing a walk.

Masahide Kobayashi (2.61 ERA) pitched a perfect eighth and Borowski (8.00 ERA) yielded one hit in the ninth and got his fifth save.

Blake (.236) drove in two runs with a bases-loaded double off Tigers starter Justin Verlander to break a scoreless tie in the fourth inning. Franklin Gutierrez (.261) followed with an RBI single.

Garko walked with one out and went to second on a single by Jhonny Peralta. David Dellucci drew another walk to load the bases forBlake.

Inge hit his fifth homer to open the Tigers' sixth and Larish connected for his first career homer with two outs in the seventh.

Garko lined his fifth of the season on a 3-2 pitch from reliever Denny Bautista in the eighth.