Justin Verlander, Jhonny Peralta help Tigers rout Twins 10-1

DETROIT – Justin Verlander struck out 11 in a complete game and Jhonny Peralta drove in four runs to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 10-1 rout of the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

Miguel Cabrera had three hits and scored three runs for the Tigers, who have won six of their last seven.

Verlander (18-8) improved to 5-0 in his last seven starts and became the first Tiger to strike out 200 batters in consecutive seasons since Jack Morris in 1987-88. He allowed four hits and one unearned run to move to 12-3 at home, and 47-20 in his career at Comerica Park.

Francisco Liriano (14-9) allowed two runs in three-plus innings before leaving the game with an illness.

Verlander struck out the side on 13 pitches in the second inning.

Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the fourth to break the 0-0 tie, and Liriano walked Jhonny Peralta before signaling to the Twins dugout that something was wrong. After a lengthy conference at the mound, both Liriano and shortstop Alexi Casilla left the game. The Twins announced moments later that both were feeling ill.

The Tigers broke the game open in the sixth. Ryan Raburn and Cabrera started the inning with singles off Jeff Manship, and Peralta followed with a single to make it 3-0.

Casper Wells then hit a grounder over third base that was grabbed by a fan in the stands down the left-field line. Third base umpire Tim Tschida quickly called fan interference, but home plate umpire Tim Timmons ruled that Peralta's run counted and Wells was entitled to a triple. Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected after a lengthy argument.

Brennan Boesch followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-0, and Peralta and Wells hit back-to-back homers in the eighth.

The Twins got their only run on Michael Cuddyer's RBI single with two outs in the ninth, costing Verlander his fourth career shutout.

NOTES: Brandon Inge struck out twice, leaving him one short of Lou Whitaker's franchise record of 1,099. Inge has played in 1,288 career games, as opposed to Whitaker's 2,390. ... C Joe Mauer will sit out the Detroit series to rest a sore knee, but could play Monday in Kansas City. DH Jim Thome sat out the game with back stiffness. ... Gardenhire said on a radio appearance Friday that he doesn't expect 1B Justin Morneau to recover from a concussion in time for the postseason. Morneau has been sidelined since sustaining the concussion while sliding into second base in Toronto on July 7. .. Verlander has struck out at least 10 batters four times this season, including two of his last three starts.