TIGERS 8 INDIANS 7 SPARKY LEON HALIP/GETTY IMAGES Catcher Alex Avila tags out Cleveland's Kosuke Fukudome to complete a double play and end the Tigers' 8-7 victory over the Indians on Sunday. The Tigers now have a 4 1/2 game lead on the Indians in the AL Central. SWEET Jackson throws out as Detroit adds to The Associated Press DETROIT - The box score says that Jose Valverde extended his franchise-record save streak to 37 on Sunday. He'll be the first to tell anyone that the save really belongs to Tigers centerfielder Austin Jackson. Jackson threw out Kosuke Fukudome at the plate to complete a game ending double play and Detroit held on to beat the Cleve- INSIDE land Indians 8-7 • MLB: Sunday in a wild game recaps, box Sunday. scores and "When the ball standings, was hit, I just Page 58 started running to cover home plate," Valverde said. "I looked back, saw the throw and the tag and just yelled 'Thank you!™ Valverde had walked Fukudome to start the inning and then hit Jason Donald on an 0-2 pitch. "This really wasn't my day - my pitches were going all over the place," Valverde said. "That was the hardest save of my career." Jack Hannahan bunted the runners over, before pinch-hitter Matt LaPorta lined to centerfield and Jackson threw a perfect strike to the plate to get Fukudome by a step. - ONE SWEEP P SWEEP P tying run at plate AL Central cushion TODAY'S GAME Tigers at Rays: 7:10 p.m. • TV/radio: FSN Detroit/VFN 730-AM • Where they stand: The Tigers are 67-58 and in first place in the AL Central, 4½ games ahead of the Indians and five ahead of the thirdplace Chicago White Sox. "It wasn't hit that hard, so I was just trying to get lined up," Jackson said. "I knew I had to get it there on the fly, but I didn't know if I even had a chance until I saw Alex (Avila) put on the tag." The play ended Detroit's weekend sweep of the Indians in the most-attended three-game series in Comerica Park's 12-season history. "That throw is going to be on our highlight reel, for sure," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Not just because of being a great play, but because of the situation and the crowd." Delmon Young and Victor Martinez homered in a seven third inning, but starter Rick Porcello® lasted just 3 ⅔ innings despite the big lead. "We really needed a good outing from Rick, but he didn't give us one," Leyland said. "That left us having to milk our bullpen for every out the guys could get us." Before leaving, Porcello stirred up some controversy when his L a a shorter Detroit's Austin Jackson makes the throw to the plate that cut down the Indians' potential tying run. pitch sailed behind Asdrubal Ca- DUANE BURLESON/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS brera's back a pitch after he had just missed a homer down the right-field line. After a discussion, the umpires warned both benches, and although there were no more incidents, Indians manager Manny Acta was upset by the play. "I don't think that was handled very well," Acta said. "I think everyone in the stadium knew he threw at him, and if you know he threw at him, you throw him out. Because of the warning, now you can't pitch inside." See TIGERS, Page 78 of in on races opportunity races