CLEVELAND -- With no outs and runners on first and second, Andy Dirks squared up a bunt on Cleveland starter Justin Masterson and tried twice to lay a ball down the first-base line.

Trailing 2-1 in the seventh, he fouled off both attempts and was forced to swing away with two strikes.

He took the next pitch right down the gut for a called third strike.

Dirks deserved only part of the blame for the Tigers’ 2-1 loss Thursday, but his at-bat exemplified precisely what is wrong with the team’s freefalling offense.

They can hit. They just can’t score runs when it matters.

"It's pretty much the same story," manager Jim Leyland said. "It's kind of a broken record right now -- there were no big hits to get anyone home."

For the fourth time in five games, the Tigers stranded 10 base runners, spoiling another impressive start by Justin Verlander, who has been relied upon far too many times this season to right a sinking ship.

"He was terrific and we didn't do much for him," Leyland said. "It was a shame to lose a game like that."

Once again, Verlander did his part -- giving up only two runs in eight innings. He thew 117 pitches, including a 102 mph four-seamer on his second-to-last pitch before freezing Asdrubal Cabrera on an 83 mph breaking ball to strike out the side.

But, yet again, the Tigers’ offense couldn't return the favor.

Trailing 2-1, Cleveland closer Chris Perez tossed a scoreless ninth inning for the third straight game, putting the finishing touches on Cleveland’s three-game sweep.

The loss dropped the Tigers six games behind the AL Central-leading Indians, who have taken three straight after dropping the previous 10 against Detroit.

"Pure and simple, we're not hitting good enough and we're not getting pitches to hit with men on base," Leyland said. "And, when we are, we're not hitting them."

The Tigers went just 3-for-28 with runners in scoring position and stranded 30 runners in the series, including one in the ninth inning Thursday after Perez gave up a one-out single to Ramon Santiago.

After newcomer Quintin Berry struck out swinging, Perez induced a game-ending popout to shallow center with Cabrera -- the reigning AL batting champion -- on deck.

"It seems like we have something every day," Leyland said. "We're really out of sync right now, without question. The bulk of it is that we're not hitting and scoring runs."

It was Verlander’s 52nd straight start of pitching at least six innings, but the loss snapped his 13-game road decision win streak.

Berry scored Detroit's lone run in the third following his leadoff double on his flare to left field. He scooted home on Miguel Cabrera’s groundout deep in the hole at shortstop.

It was one of the Tigers' six hits on the day.

"We're swinging at pitches out of the strike zone with men on base," Leyland said. "Maybe we're a little anxious -- a little overanxious."

The Indians responded an inning later when Michael Brantley blooped a two-out single to shallow center and took stole second on the next pitch. He then scored the game-winning run on Jose Lopez’s boop single to shallow right.

Leyland and first-base coach Tom Brookens were ejected in the top of the fifth inning for arguing an apparent non-balk call.

The exchange immediately followed Andy Dirks' popout to shallow right with Berry on first and the Tigers trailing the Cleveland Indians, 2-1.

Moments after the popout, an animated Brookens was spotted arguing with first-base umpire Paul Emmel, protesting a non-balk call on a 1-0 pitch to Dirks.

"Tommy knew and I did as well that he got away with one," Leyland said. " In our judgment that, obviously, he got away with one."

After recording 25 outs in his last start before giving up a hit, Verlader gave up a leadoff homer to Shin-Soo Choo -- a 454-foot blast to the second deck in right.

"They're a very good team that's playing very well and we're a very good team that's not playing very well," Leyland said.

-- Follow James Schmehl on Twitter: @jamesschmehl.