Tigers Edge Indians, Maintain 2 1/2 Game Lead

CLEVELAND (AP) - Edwin Jackson wouldn't allow the AL Central to

get any tighter.

Detroit's steady starter pitched seven shutout innings and

remained unbeaten against Cleveland this season, and the

first-place Tigers kept their slender lead over Minnesota with a

3-1 win over the staggering Indians, who dropped their ninth

straight on Tuesday night.

In losing nine of nine of 13, the Tigers let a season-high,

seven-game lead on Sept. 6 slip to two over the Twins last weekend.

But with their second straight win, they stayed at least 2½ games

ahead of Minnesota, which played at Chicago.

Ryan Raburn homered in the third off Aaron Laffey (7-7) and the

Tigers tacked on two runs in the eighth off reliever Chris Perez.