Dellucci, Sabathia too much for Tigers

David Dellucci’s tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning lifted the Cleveland Indians to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

Victor Martinez also hit a two-run home run and C.C. Sabathia tied for the league lead with his seventh victory to help the Indians beat the Tigers for the second straight day, giving them a 1 1/2 -game lead in the Central Division.

“We just want to keep winning and be there at the end,” Sabathia said. “They have a great ballclub, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were there at the end.”

Sabathia (7-1) yielded three runs and six hits over seven innings. He struck out six and walked one in earning his 88th win -- easily the most for any pitcher younger than 27.

He joined the Angels’ John Lackey and Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka and Josh Beckett as the league’s only seven-game winners.

“He’s been good all year, for that matter 2 1/2 years,” Indians Manager Eric Wedge said.

Justin Verlander left the game with a 3-2 lead after six innings, but such slim leads aren’t as safe with relievers Bobby Seay and Jason Grilli filling in for injured standouts Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney.

“I don’t think they care too much,” Tigers Manager Jim Leyland said.

The Indians led off the eighth inning with three straight hits against Grilli (2-2), who left the game after Ryan Garko’s comebacker hit his left knee, and built a three-run lead on Dellucci’s homer and Travis Hafner’s sacrifice fly.

X-rays on Grilli’s knee were negative.