Tigers Tame Tribe Again 5-2 as Kluber Leaves with Back Tightness; Three Takeaways from the Loss

2017 has been vastly different in terms of the Indians and Tigers series from what we saw last season. While there's still plenty of games left, the Tigers have

2017 has been vastly different in terms of the Indians and Tigers series from what we saw last season. While there's still plenty of games left, the Tigers have beat up the Indians winning four of the first five meetings.

The latest Tigers win over the Tribe came on a cold and windy Tuesday night at Comerica Park, with Detroit pounding out a 5-2 win.

There's plenty to get to in this one, complete with Indians ace Corey Kluber having to leave early due to tightness in his lower back.

Now at 14-12, here's three takeaways from the Indians three-run setback to the Tigers.

1. Kluber's Quick Night

Indians pitcher Corey Kluber allowed five runs on seven hits in three innings with one walk and four strikeouts, but the bigger concern is the fact the Tribe ace left the game with tightness in his low back.

His exit came after a forgettable night in which he allowed a two-run blast to a returning Miguel Cabrera, and overall it looked like he was just not his normal stuff.

The Tigers peppered Kluber, scoring runs in each of the first three innings before he left the game. While the pen kept the Indians in the game, the offense never got going.

It's the second time in 2017 Kluber has had the back issue, as he experienced lower back tightness during his second start of the season, a loss in Arizona to the Diamondbacks.

"It has been bothering me off and on for a few starts now, but this was the first time I couldn't pitch through it," he said. "You have to balance trying to keep going against causing more damage."

2. Another Light Night in the Run Department

Monday night during the Indians 7-1 loss they had plenty of chances with runners in scoring position, where Tuesday night they just flat out were shut down by Tigers starter Justin Verlander, a pitcher who they had beaten up as of late.

Verlander walked four Indians and gave up four hits, but he was much better than his last outing against the Indians, as they pounded him for nine runs on 11 hits in four innings in the Indians only win against the Tigers, 13-6 on April 15th.

They scored a run in the first, but after that the minus a walk to Carlos Santana in the second, the Indians didn't have another baserunner till the 5th, and by then it was 5-1 Tigers.

3. Credit the Pen

As stated in our first takeaway, the Indians bullpen did a great job in a game that will be forgotten by the time October rolls around.

Consider the stats, once Kluber left the game the Indians bullpen pitched five no-hit innings, striking out seven.

It was just a shame that the offense, on a night when the weather was more like late fall than early May, couldn't get anything going against Verlander.

"Those guys were tremendous," Francona said. "We barely did anything offensively, but they gave us a chance to take a run at tying the game in the ninth."

Here's hoping tomorrow the Tribe will get on track against the Tigers, with first pitch at 7:10pm.