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Final Score: Cleveland 2 - Detroit 9

Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Miguel Cabrera went 4-for-4 and recorded his first multi-homer game as a member of the Detroit Tigers in a 9-2 shellacking of the punchless Cleveland Indians in the first of a brief two-game series.

Justin Verlander's (6-9) performance was just as impressive, as the right- hander gave up two first-inning runs but retired the final 14 hitters he faced in his seven-inning start. He fanned seven while surrendering just a walk and two hits, and has not allowed more than two runs in each of his past six outings, going 4-0 during that span.

Cabrera and Marcus Thames each knocked in three, with Thames and Ivan Rodriguez recording a home run apiece to put Detroit back over the .500 mark (45-44) with back-to-back wins.

Jeremy Sowers' (0-5) struggles continue for the Indians, getting lit up for seven runs -- six earned -- on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. Jhonny Peralta provided Cleveland's only spark with a two-run homer, but it was hardly enough in the team's season-high ninth straight setback.

"The deeper the losing gets, the tougher it gets," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "You just can't separate one day from another. You should off the bad day and look for a fresh start for a win the next. We haven't done that. It's a domino effect now. It's all mental. We have to work harder, catch a break and start winning."

The Indians, who traded ace CC Sabathia on Monday for three prospects and a player to be named later to the Milwaukee Brewers, started the post-Sabathia era with a bang.

A two-out double by Casey Blake followed by Peralta's 14th home run of the season gave Cleveland a quick 2-0 lead in the first.

But Verlander and the Detroit offense would be the story the rest of the way.

"The first inning I thought I threw the ball pretty well, too, just hung two changeups," Verlander said. "They both got hit pretty well. Other than that, I felt pretty good the whole game."

Ryan Raburn ignited a four-run third with a one-out double to left. Curtis Granderson quickly knocked him in with a liner to right, and scored two batters later on Thames' double off the left field wall, snapping an 0-for-16 slump for the outfielder and tying the game.

Cabrera wasted no time giving the Tigers the lead for good, tattooing a first- pitch fastball to left for a 4-2 lead.

With two outs in the fifth, Placido Polanco placed a single to right and Thames lofted a 1-0 offering that found the right field seats for a 6-1 lead.

Granderson notched an RBI single off the glove of Jamey Carroll an inning later, and two solo shots in the home seventh were icing on the cake for Detroit.

Cabrera went deep to right off reliever Brian Slocum, and Rodriguez smashed a hanging breaking ball to left for a homer of his own two batters later.

"[Cabrera's] loose and relaxed, he's having fun," Granderson said of his teammate. "People forget how young he is and it's definitely inside of him. It comes out on the base paths and on the field."

A walk to Grady Sizemore in the third was the only blemish for Verlander after the first frame, as he baffled the Indians along with Aquilino Lopez, who tossed two hitless innings of relief.