Detroit won its first game against Cleveland after an 0-6 start, suffering a four-game sweep in May and losing both games of a June series. Yet the Tigers are 1 1/2 games ahead of the Guardians in the AL Central.
Anderson allowed four hits as the opener, fanning four and walking two. Jacob Waguespack (1-1) threw two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win.
Spencer Torkelson drove in the first run of the game with a second-inning double, but Chase DeLauter’s 13th homer of the year tied the game in the third. He sent a low-inside curveball from Anderson 424 feet over the right-center field wall.
McGonigle tagged a two-run double in the fifth inning that put the Tigers ahead for good, and Gleyber Torres added one more with an RBI single.
José Ramírez hit into a groundout that brought Steven Kwan across in the seventh to draw the Guardians within 4-2, but the Tigers got two across in the bottom half to extend their lead.
Javier Báez scored after he stole third and the throw got away from Ramírez, allowing Baéz to cross without a play at the plate. McGonigle hit an RBI single on the next pitch to extend the lead to four.
Jo Adell hit a 428-foot shot in the eighth that wasn’t enough to complete a Cleveland comeback. Kenley Jansen earned his 14th save, but allowed one run in the ninth.
Tanner Bibee (4-12) worked 6 1/3 innings for Cleveland and gave up four runs on five hits while striking out four. DeLauter finished 3 for 5.
Guardians LHP Foster Griffin (12-4, 3.31 ERA) starts opposite Tigers LHP Framber Valdez (7-7, 4.17) on Wednesday.