DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers acquired Anibal Sanchez in late July to add stability to the back of their rotation. He added a lot more than that Friday night.

Making his second start with Detroit, Sanchez looked much more comfortable at Comerica Park than he did in his Tigers debut.

Despite a rocky start to the game, Sanchez settled and finished with eight hits, walking two and striking out five in six-plus innings

.

Even more impressive, Sanchez --

-- held the freefalling Cleveland Indians to one extra-base hit.

"I wanted to throw good game," Sanchez said. "I tried to make every pitch the right pitch in the right situation. And the run support I had today, really helped a lot."

Mixing and matching a 94 mph heavy sinker with a well-timed changeup, Sanchez used an array of pinpoint breaking balls stymie a Cleveland squad that is notoriously fastball-happy.

"They're a good fastball-hitting team, swinging a lot early in the count," Tigers catcher Alex Avila said. "For him being able to throw changeups, curveballs, stuff like that in the strike zone, early in the count, sets up everything else."

He was chased in the seventh inning after giving up a single to Ezequiel Carrera, but was immediately greeted with a standing ovation from most of the 41,502 fans in attendance as he walked to the dugout. He welcomed the crowd's kind gesture by tipping his cap.

"That was really amazing, really amazing," he said. "I don’t have any comparison for that. When I throw my (no-hit) game in 2006, it’s not even like that. It’s a lot of people, a lot of fans, and a standing ovation is incredible. I feel like it’s something really new for me."

The crowd's reaction seemed to have left a big impression on Sanchez, who had been told about the team's passionate fanbase prior to his arrival.

"It definitely feels like home," he said. "The best people, it feels amazing. I don’t have exactly words to express that, but the thing is amazing."

It was a big improvement from his Tigers debut a week earlier at Toronto when he gave up three home runs and five runs over six-plus innings.

More importantly, it helped preserve a Tigers bullpen for a series that will be sans a Justin Verlander start. And, that's exactly why the Tigers tried hard to bring him to Detroit.

"I'm here to help keep the team working for the playoffs," Sanchez said. "And I’m sure we’re going to make it."

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