DETROIT -- Justin Verlander looked good in his first appearance of the season, and he looked even better to the Cleveland Indians when he was out of the game.

Yan Gomes hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly with one out in the sixth inning and added an RBI double in the eighth Saturday to spark the Indians to a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers, spoiling Verlander's season debut.

"I thought he looked pretty good," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said of Verlander after his team defeated Detroit for only the second time eight tries this year. "He reached back and got that extra velocity when he needed to. That's kind of been his MO."

"It was nice to get back out there," said Verlander, who had been sidelined all season due to a right triceps strain.

The right-hander was very effective for four innings and gave up two runs on three hits while throwing 87 pitches over five innings. He walked two and struck out two.

His fastball got a couple of ticks above 94 mph on occasion and he didn't overthrow until the fifth. His changeup and curveball were very good, but his slider was spotty.

"In my last inning, the fifth, I tried to step on the gas and fell out of rhythm," Verlander said. "My tempo was very good early on. Overall it was a key step and a very good sign."

Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco (8-5) got hurt on a couple of fastballs but quickly adjusted and got key outs on offspeed stuff and pitches off the plate.

Carrasco lasted 5 2/3 innings, in which he gave up three runs on seven hits. He struck out eight and allowed only one walk.

"He made some mistakes and they cost him some runs," Francona said. "When he pitched inside, he was effective. He got down early, then held it in check where our runs were meaningful."

Left-hander Mark Rzepczynski got the last out of the sixth and right-hander Brian Shaw yielded a solo home run to Detroit right fielder J.D. Martinez in the eighth.

Right-hander Cody Allen got the last four outs for his 14th save. He got Martinez to ground into a game-ending double play with runners on first and third.

First baseman Miguel Cabrera lined a 99 mph fastball for a single to right field one out after designated hitter Rajai Davis had opened Detroit's first inning with a triple to left-center.

The Tigers made it 2-0 in the third on a two-out single by left fielder Yoenis Cespedes and an RBI double to center by Martinez.

First baseman Carlos Santana pulled the Indians to within 2-1 when he led off the fourth with his seventh home run of the season.

Shortstop Jose Iglesias was hit by a pitch in the fourth, stole his eighth base and scored when Davis lined a double to left to put Detroit ahead, 3-1.

Cleveland put two walks around a single to load the bases with one out in the fifth as Verlander began to struggle with his command. Second baseman Jason Kipnis hit a sacrifice fly to left to cut the Indians' deficit to 3-2.

Left-hander Blaine Hardy (2-1) began the sixth for the Tigers but could get only one of three southpaw hitters out. Left fielder Michael Brantley singled and scored on a one-out triple by right fielder David Murphy, who scored the go-ahead run when Gomes greeted right-hander Alex Wilson with a sacrifice fly to left.

Catcher Gomes greeted right-hander Al Alburquerque, Detroit's fourth reliever of the game, with a booming double off the wall in right-center to score Murphy, who had been hit by a pitch, to give Cleveland a 5-3 cushion in the eighth.

NOTES: RHP C.C. Lee pitched just one game for Cleveland (Friday night) before the Indians optioned him back to the minors so they could activate veteran RHP Scott Atchison off the disabled list for Saturday's game in Detroit. ... If DH Victor Martinez felt good after a running test and batting practice Saturday, Detroit planned to send him to Pawtucket on S