DETROIT (Interstat) — José Ramírez homered and hit a two-run double on a 3-for-4 night, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the reeling Detroit Tigers 8-2 on Monday.

Slade Cecconi allowed two runs in 7 1/3 innings, his longest outing of the season, and struck out four as Cleveland won its sixth in seven games. The Guardians improved to 27-22, while Detroit fell to 20-28.

Ramírez’s three-run double in the sixth inning broke open a close game, turning a 4-1 lead into a 7-1 cushion. Chase DeLauter and Rhys Hoskins each drove in two runs, and Brayan Rocchio scored three times for Cleveland.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Riley Greene doubled to right field, scoring Dillon Dingler from first base. Detroit had a chance to add more in the third when Colt Keith singled and Kevin McGonigle walked, but Dingler grounded into a double play to end the threat.

Cleveland answered in the third. Rocchio tripled to center field and scored on a force out by DeLauter. Hoskins followed with a double to left that scored DeLauter, giving the Guardians a 2-1 lead.

The Guardians extended the lead in the fifth. Rocchio walked, and Angel Martínez singled to put runners at first and second. Ramírez singled to load the bases, and DeLauter grounded into a force out to score Rocchio. Hoskins then hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Martínez and making it 4-1.

The decisive inning was the sixth. Travis Bazzana singled to start the inning, and Steven Kwan walked. Austin Hedges sacrificed the runners to second and third, and Rocchio walked to load the bases. Martínez singled to right, scoring Bazzana and keeping the bases full. Ramírez then crushed a double to right-center, clearing the bases and giving Cleveland a 7-1 lead.

Cecconi worked efficiently through the middle innings, retiring the side in order in the fifth and sixth. He left after 7 1/3 innings having allowed five hits and two earned runs.

Cleveland added a run in the ninth when Ramírez hit a solo home run to left field, his eighth of the season.

Matt Vierling homered for Detroit in the eighth, but the Tigers could not mount a rally against Cecconi and the Cleveland bullpen.

Framber Valdez took the loss for Detroit, allowing five hits and four earned runs over five innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Connor Seabold pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Tigers, striking out two. Matt Festa and Peyton Pallette each threw scoreless innings for Cleveland.

The Guardians finished with nine hits and drew six walks. Ramírez led the way with three hits, two of them for extra bases. Angel Martínez had two singles and extended his hitting streak to seven games. Rocchio walked three times and scored three runs.

Detroit managed five hits. Riley Greene had two hits and drove in a run. Kevin McGonigle singled and walked, and Dillon Dingler singled and scored.

The game took 2 hours, 44 minutes at Comerica Park before an announced crowd of 18,913.

Cleveland’s pitching staff combined for seven strikes, 61 balls and seven balls in play. Detroit’s pitchers threw eight strikes, 48 balls and eight balls in play. The Tigers grounded into two double plays.

The Guardians now head into the second game of the series Tuesday. They will send left-hander Logan Allen to the mound against Detroit right-hander Alex Faedo.

Cleveland has been on a roll since dropping three straight to Minnesota from May 8-10. The Guardians won three of four against Kansas City, then split a two-game set with the Los Angeles Angels before taking two of three from Cincinnati over the weekend.

Detroit has lost five of its last six games. The Tigers dropped three straight to the New York Mets, then were outscored 7-2 in a three-game series against Toronto at home before Monday’s loss.

The most important part of the game came in the top of the sixth inning. With Cleveland leading 4-1, the Guardians loaded the bases on a single, a walk and a sacrifice bunt. After a walk to Rocchio, Martínez singled to right field to score Bazzana, keeping the bases loaded. Ramírez then delivered the knockout blow, a double to right field that cleared the bases and gave the Guardians a 7-1 lead. The hit came on a 1-2 pitch from reliever Brant Hurter after Valdez had left the game.

Ramírez has been hot at the plate. He went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs in a 10-3 win against Cincinnati on May 17, and he had two hits in a 7-4 win the day before. He is now hitting .283 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs on the season.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cleveland 7, Detroit 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cleveland with a 52.30 percent probability to win. Detroit had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 10 went under the over/under line of 8.