DETROIT -- Josh Tomlin gave the Cleveland Indians a big lift, and so did Jerry Sands.

Tomlin dominated a struggling Detroit team, allowing one hit through five innings and four through nine while Sands accounted for three Cleveland runs Friday night in an 8-1 victory over the Tigers.

The Indians (65-58) won seven of their last nine while the Tigers (61-73) dropped 12 of 14.

"We're creeping up on .500," said right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall, who chipped in with a pinch-two double in the seventh inning. "If we can keep it going, who knows, maybe we can be the surprise story in baseball this year."

Sands hit a two-run home run in the third inning and triggered a four-run fifth with a leadoff triple.

The right-handed Tomlin began the game with five innings of one-hit ball subbing for injured right-hander Corey Kluber (right hamstring) but starting on normal rest. He gave up a leadoff single to center fielder Anthony Gose in the first but not another until rookie shortstop Dixon Machado doubled to begin the sixth.

"He was so good," Indians' manager Terry Francona said. "He changed speeds and kept them off-balance. He pounded the strike zone. His curveball, all his pitches were excellent."

Tomlin (4-1) got 14 Detroit batters to hit the first or second pitch he threw. He gave up four hits, walked one, struck out six and threw 104 pitches in his third career complete game.

"That's kind of what we were hoping for (since spring training)," Francona said. "We kept saying, if we can just let Josh get (back to health), he can help us. He can really pitch."

"He kept us off balance," Detroit catcher Bryan Holaday said. "He got ahead in the count, and never let us get anything going."

Tigers left-hander Kyle Lobstein (3-6), out since May 24 with a bad left shoulder, was activated off the 60-day disabled list by Detroit on Thursday and showed a little rust a day later. He was touched for six runs on eight hits and two walks (one intentional) in 4 1/3 innings.

"It was not very good," Lobstein said. "I fell behind too many hitters. Too many pitches to hit, behind in the count. It makes it lot easier for the Indians that way.

"They have a lot of good hitters and they're hot right now. You have to go out and compete. Still, it feels good to get back up here and get in some innings."

Sands, Cleveland's right fielder, hit his third home run of the season in the third inning to break a scoreless tie, and his leadoff triple in the fifth ignited a four-run inning. Sands also made the last out of the fifth, with Cabrera needing to make a leaping stop of his high chopper to save a double.

Yes, he admitted, he was thinking of the cycle after getting the home run and triple out of the way in his first two at-bats.

"You always think about it," he said. "I just wanted to concentrate on my last two at-bats."

Third baseman Giovanny Urshela singled to drive in Sands in the fifth, shortstop Francisco Lindor doubled him to third, left fielder Michael Brantley had an RBI single off Lobstein and right-handed reliever Drew VerHagen hit catcher Yan Gomes with a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the fourth run of the inning.

Detroit didn't score until two were out in the sixth, when first baseman Miguel Cabrera lined a single to left to bring in Machado, who had doubled and gone to third on a fly to right.

NOTES: Detroit SS Jose Iglesias will be out for at least two weeks after a CT scan of his right middle finger showed a non-displaced chip fracture. He was hit on the hand by a pitch Thursday night in Kansas City. ... Cleveland RHP Corey Kluber will miss his scheduled Saturday start due to a right hamstring strain. LHP Danny Salazar was moved back a day to take his place, with RHP Josh Tomlin starting Friday. ... The Indians purchased the contract of LHP Giovanni Soto from their Triple-A Columbus farm club. Soto originally signed with the Tigers but was traded to Cleveland as part of the deal for SS Jhonny Peralta in 2010.