AP photo Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Gregory Soto celebrates the team’s 4-3 win against the Cleveland Guardians in a baseball game Tuesday, in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians saw their AL Central lead reduced to one game on Tuesday night.

They also had a beef with the umpires during and after their 4-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Cleveland manager Terry Francona was ejected in the ninth inning for arguing after the umpires ruled Myles Straw struck out with the tying run on third for the second out of the inning.

And catcher Austin Hedges was still steaming several hours later about a call in the first inning that helped Detroit take a 3-0 lead.

Rookie Tyler Freeman led off the ninth with a double and moved to third on Hedges’ sacrifice. Plate umpire Lance Barksdale originally ruled Straw fouled off a 2-2 pitch from Tigers All-Star closer Gregory Soto. The four umpires had a meeting and ruled Straw tipped the ball, but catcher Tucker Barnhart caught it before it hit the ground for strike three. Francona stormed out of the dugout and argued the call with Barksdale.

Francona was quickly ejected and remained on the field to continue the argument as the crowd booed. Straw also was ejected.

Steven Kwan, who was 3 for 3 with a walk, tapped back to Soto to end the game.

“You know, I thought he called foul ball,” Francona said. “And that’s what I was arguing. I can’t imagine they could overturn it from where they were, but I guess what they overturned is that he (Barnhart) caught the ball. I didn’t even see — I thought it was foul ball. I needed to yell at him anyway.”

Barksdale explained the decision to a pool reporter.

“We go on sound because we can’t see the ball down,” he said. “I thought I heard the ball hit the ground, which it did, but the catcher got his glove under it. I didn’t know it at the time. The catcher is telling me he caught the ball. We try to get the plays right. So I checked the ball and got my crew together and to a man no one else had the ball hitting the ground. So we changed it. We try to get the plays right. He foul tipped it and the catcher said he got his glove under it … and we said the ball did not hit the ground.”

A call in the first inning also went against Cleveland and helped Detroit score three runs after a challenge by Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. Detroit rookie Kerry Carpenter homered for the second straight night.

Cleveland starter Zach Plesac (2-11) appeared to have completed a scoreless inning thanks to a play at the plate. Javier Baez was on second with two outs when Harold Castro’s grounder caromed off second base and rolled into left field.

Shortstop Tyler Freeman retrieved the ball and threw to the plate after Baez was waved home.

Hedges tagged the sliding Baez and Barksdale gave the out call. Hinch challenged that Hedges blocked the sliding lane before catching the ball. The call was overturned after a review with the umpiring crew in New York.

Francona argued the decision with Barksdale and third base umpire Alan Porter.

The Tigers, leading 1-0, took advantage of the overturned call as Plesac couldn’t finish off the inning.

Plesac hasn’t won since June 5. The right-hander allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings.

The Tigers have won two of three against the AL Central leaders, who are one game ahead of Minnesota and the Chicago White Sox.

Garrett Hill (3-3) held Cleveland to one run in five innings.

Joe Jimenez inherited a 4-2 lead in the eighth, but had to work out of trouble to keep Detroit in the lead. Amed Rosario tripled and scored on Jose Ramirez’s bloop hit to center.

Rookie Oscar Gonzalez struck out and All-Star Andres Gimenez fouled out. Josh Naylor, who wasn’t in the lineup after tweaking his ankle Monday, received a loud ovation when he batted for Owen Miller.