By Mike Brandyberry

David Huff has been susceptible to rain on the days of his starts this season. He could have used a rainout Saturday. Unfortunately for the Indians, the rain stormed through an hour before the game.

Huff never had control on the mound and the Detroit Tigers took advantage early and often, as they defeated the Indians, 10-1. In what looked to be a series the Tribe could make ground on the Tigers, the Wahoos have now dropped to three and a half back in the standings.

Huff had no control from the beginning, getting banged around for four hits, four walks and allowing five runs in only two and one-third innings. Huff threw 66 pitches in his shortest start of the season.

The bleeding began immediately for the Indians when Huff walked Austin Jackson and allowed a single to Magglio Ordonez. After Delmon Young was retired, Miguel Cabrera singled right back up the middle to score Jackson. Victor Martinez’s sacrifice fly scored Ordonez and the Tigers had an early 2-0 lead.

In the second inning, newly recalled Brandon Inge homered to left, then Ramon Santiago doubled. Sacrifice flies by Jackson and Ordonez scored Santiago and the Tigers had a 4-1 lead. Shin-Soo Choo would show the only sign of life in the Indian offense with a home run in the top of the third inning, but the Tribe handed the run right back to Detroit before Huff headed to the showers.

Chad Durbin relieved Huff, but allowed two unearned runs when Michael Brantley fueled the fifth inning for Detroit when he could not catch a routine fly ball. Frank Herrmann exploded in the seventh inning, allowing three more runs, extending the lead to 10-1, Detroit.

The Indians offense was anemic at best and pitiful at worst. The Tribe found themselves in another game where they could not get a two-out base hit or a base hit with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile the strikeout disease has reached epidemic proportions. The Tribe struck out eight times on the evening, including twice each by Brantley and Matt LaPorta.

Ubaldo Jimenez (1-0, 4.58) will take the mound Sunday afternoon in what has quickly become a must win game. Currently trailing the Tigers by three and a half games, the Tribe can not afford to fall farther behind in the standings to the Tigers. Jimenez, who has had two shaky starts and one great start since being acquired by the Indians, will need to lockup the Tigers like he did a week ago at home in Progressive Field. Jimenez will be opposed by Rick Porcello (11-8, 4.98) at 1:05.

Photo: Leon Halip/Getty Images