CLEVELAND _ The Indians unveiled a traditional post-clinch lineup to give some of the regulars a day off and lost to the Detroit Tigers, 6-4, on Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.
After clinching their third consecutive American League Central title on Saturday, The Indians deployed a lineup featuring Greg Allen in the No. 2 spot, Brandon Barnes hitting sixth, Erik Haase slotted seventh and Adam Rosales starting at second base.
Part of the fun of a post-clinch lineup is being able to get some players that otherwise might not get many at-bats some added exposure. That included Haase, who came to bat with two runners on in the fourth inning and still without a major-league hit to his name.
Haase took advantage, singling to left field off Tigers starting pitcher Francisco Liriano to not only notch his first career major-league hit, but also his first career RBI, scoring Yandy Diaz, who had doubled, and giving the Indians a 2-1 lead.
"It's good to get that one out of the way and hopefully move forward at this point and put up some good numbers," Haase said.
Haase added that his wife, kids and in-laws were all able to attend the game.
"On a day where we're letting the guys who have grinded take a deep breath, watching him catch a full game, get his first hit, first RBI, that's really exciting," manager Terry Francona said. "He's worked so hard behind the plate. His throwing and his transfer is so much better than we even saw in spring training. That was really fun."
Erik Gonzalez then grounded out but did enough to score Brandon Guyer, who had walked.
Diaz also singled home a run in the first to tie it at 1.
Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber settled down after a rocky start but was then hit for a four-run fifth. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead on Jim Adduci's sacrifice fly to left field. In the fifth, with the Indians clinging to a 3-2 lead, Adduci got the best of Bieber again with a three-run home run to put the Tigers ahead, 5-3.
Bieber allowed five runs on nine hits to go with four strikeouts and no walks.
In the eighth, Mikie Mahtook added an insurance run with a solo home run off Andrew Miller, a towering shot to the Home Run Porch. Miller worked 1 1/3 innings and gave up just the home run.
"Like you hope, keep taking steps in the right direction," Francona said of Miller. "Up to that point, it was his best velocity that we've seen. Breaking ball continues to be good. He got in a 3-2 count and got one up too much. That's still another good step in the right direction."
Rosales got into the action in the bottom of the ninth, singling to right field to score a run and bring the game-tying run to the plate in the form of Rajai Davis.
On the first pitch from Tigers reliever Shane Greene, though, Davis popped out to end it.
