DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers were determined to move on from the blown call that cost Armando Galarraga the first perfect game in franchise history.

Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera hit consecutive homers in a five-run seventh inning to lift Detroit to a 12-6 win over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday, a day after first base umpire Jim Joyce admitted he made a big mistake.

“I have already turned the page,” Galarraga said. “I think the guys have, too.”

The Tigers were sad the morning after the infamous call, but later understood Major League Baseball’s decision to let it stand.

Commissioner Bud Selig won’t reverse Joyce’s call, a baseball official familiar with the decision confirmed to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because that element was not included in the statement Selig released during the game.

“If you overturn something like that, you’re opening a whole can of worms,” Detroit catcher Gerald Laird said. “I don’t think anything has ever been done like that.”

More photos below.

The sights and sounds at Comerica Park before the series finale seemed to be unprecedented.

Detroit took the field about 16 hours after Joyce’s infamous call — signaling safe instead of out with two down in the ninth — and a lighthearted moment was followed by a poignant one.

Galarraga, looking very surprised and humbled, was presented with a 2010 Corvette convertible in a pregame ceremony for his near-perfect performance and remarkable sportsmanship. When Joyce blew the call, Galarraga turned and smiled and kept his composure after the out — the 28th one as it’ll be remembered in Detroit sports lore — and didn’t lash out at Joyce along with his manager and teammates.

“I was shocked when they drove it on the field and told me it was mine,” he said.

The suddenly famous pitcher presented the no-longer anonymous umpire with the lineup card before the game, shook hands and patted him on the back.

Joyce was welcomed with a smattering of applause when he walked onto the field, making him cry, and was booed by some when he was introduced.

“I thought it was going to be so loud that I wouldn’t be able to think, and that it would be overwhelmingly negative,” Joyce said. “When I walked out of the tunnel and got applause from the Tigers fans, I had to wipe the eyes.”

Three-plus hours later, the compassionate reaction from the fans compelled Tigers manager Jim Leyland to wear sunglasses in his office — likely to hide his tears from TV cameras — during his postgame news conference.

“I’m proud to be the manager for these fans,” Leyland said, choking up. “They showed me a lot of class and it was a hard thing to do.”

It wasn’t easy for David Huff to do what he did, taking his turn in the rotation after New York’s Alex Rodriguez hit a line drive off his head Saturday. Huff struggled — giving up five runs over three innings — but took a step toward bouncing back from a scary moment.

“I felt fine out there,” he said. “What happened had nothing to do with what happened in New York. I just wasn’t locating my pitches.”

Brad Thomas (2-0) retired two in the sixth inning for the win. Hector Abriz (0-1) gave up a run on two hits in an inning.

Rick Porcello retired the Indians in order to open the game and Carlos Guillen hit a two-run double in the second.

Ordonez had an RBI triple in a three-run third, giving Detroit a 5-1 lead.

The Indians made it 6-all in the fourth — thanks in part to consecutive errors by third baseman Brandon Inge and Guillen at second — but let Detroit score in each of the next three innings, including five times in the seventh to turn the game into a rout.

“Obviously, we didn’t pitch very well,” manager Manny Acta said.

Notes

• Guillen left the game in the eighth with a bruised left toe.
• Indians All-Star CF Grady Sizemore will undergo potential season-ending surgery on his left knee Friday in Colorado.
• Cabrera has an AL-high 51 RBIs and is among league leaders with 16 homers and a .352 average, but isn’t embracing Triple Crown talk. “It’s too early for that,” he said.
• Tigers rookie Austin Jackson had at least three hits and a spectacular, back-to-the-plate catch for the second straight game.
• Jason Donald, who was ruled safe on Wednesday night’s disputed play, had a hit for the ninth time in 10 games.
• Detroit’s Jose Valverde pitched the ninth, extending his streak to 21 games without giving up a run. Todd Jones, who went 22 games without giving up a run, has the longest such streak for the Tigers since 1952.

Paul Kardar, 14 and an eighth-grader at Open Door Christian School, won The Chronicle-Telegram’s regional spelling bee in April. He’s now in Washington, D.C., where he will compete in the 83rd annual Scripps National Spelling Bee. Round 1 of the three-day competition begins tomorrow, but the Kardars have been in D.C. since Sunday. Paul will be updating us with his adventures throughout the week.

Paul Kardar looks up from his study materials for the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., while in the courtyard outside Open Door. (CT photo by Bruce Bishop.)

Paul has made it through the third round, spelling ipecac correctly. (Ipecac, in case you were wondering, refers to a South American plant, its roots or drugs made from its roots.) Paul earlier made it through the second round by correctly spelling parvitude, which means likeness.

Here’s an update from Paul:

Wednesday

Today I took the round 1 test (a computer test composed of 50 questions, with 25 that count toward moving on). I could sound out almost all of the words, and I was familiar with about half of the words. I also went to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, one of two places where U.S. bills are produced. It was interesting to see how the bills we use today are produced. Another interesting place I went to was the National Archives. It was amazing to see the original Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and other old U.S. documents, all written by our founding fathers, in person. The other site I went to was the Old Post Office. This post office has a clock tower that you can go up into and catch a good view; it is the 3rd tallest building in our nation’s capital.

Thursday

So far today, I spelled 1 word in the second round. It was a little bit nerve-racking waiting to find out if you will get a word that you know. I correctly spelled the word parvitude.

LORAIN — After more than 30 years of service, Lorain Police Chief Cel Rivera announced Thursday the retirement of Capt. William Engle effective tomorrow.

Engle was hired in 1980, was promoted to sergeant in 1992, lieutenant in 1994 and to captain in 2001.

Engle was an original member of the Special Weapons & Tactics (SWAT) Team and is a past commander of the support services division.

“Bill has been an integral part of every major improvement for the Lorain Police Department in the past 15 years,” Rivera said. “His knowledge and willingness to delve into complicated issues and come up with solutions will be sorely missed on a personal and professional level.”

As a result of Engle’s retirement, Lt. James McCann will be promoted to captain of police, Sgt. Ed Super will become a lieutenant, Officer Ken Zapolski will be promoted to sergeant and Wesley Fordyce will be sworn in as a new police officer.

Rivera also announced the unveiling tomorrow — of a $30,000 memorial to the three Lorain Police Officers killed in the line of duty — a project several years in the making.

The memorial, a bronze statute of a police officer, will be shown at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow in front of City Hall alongside the Workers Memorial.

The memorial honors:

• Ptl. Fred Webber, 37, shot twice Dec. 23, 1923, trying to arrest a drunken gunman. Webber was shot in the back and died clutching the gunman after having wrestled him to the ground. An investigation showed Webber may have been killed by friendly fire as other officers were also involved in the chase and shooting.
• Ptl. Charles Deal, 39, was the fatal victim of a hit-and-run driver Nov. 6, 1925. Deal was directing traffic at the scene of an auto-truck accident. Deal’s calls for help were ignored by the next five cars to pass and he died of his injuries on the way to the hospital. The father of a 19-year-old Lorain man brought the teenager to the station a few days later to confess to hitting Deal. A grand jury failed to indict the man.
• Ptl. George Kirk, 57, was found face down at the bottom of an elevator shaft March 30, 1944. The elevator was at the second floor of the Lorain Hardware warehouse. The doors were found unlocked and open 18 inches. Kirk’s death remains unsolved.

LORAIN — Family and friends of U.S. Army Pvt. 1st Class Heath Kirk of Lorain, injured in Afghanistan, have organized a public welcome home party and motorcade for Saturday evening.

Kirk

Kirk, 21, was severely wounded in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, in September 2009, where he lost a leg. After two months of surgeries and recuperation, Kirk has been newly fitted with a prosthetic leg and is returning home.

The American Legion Post 397 in Vermilion on state Route 60 has donated space for 500 to enjoy a complimentary spaghetti dinner, pop and entertainment for the whole family from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. A cash bar will also be available.

There is no cost to attend. The family is asking residents to line the motorcade where Kirk, escorted in a limousine, will drive through the Lorain neighborhood where he lived, pass Southview High School from where Kirk graduated and finally drop Kirk off at the American Legion in Vermilion at 6:30 p.m.

The motorcade route is still being worked out. Check back at Chroniclet.com for more details as they become available.

Family friend, Laura Hall, sister to Lance Cpl. David R. Hall of Lorain, who died Aug. 31 in Afghanistan, is helping to organize the event.

Kirk will talk attendees from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. about how he was injured and what happened Sept. 21 when he was injured.

“It’s unbelievable to hear his story,” Hall said. “It will change people. He’s an incredible young man and his story is overwhelming. It will build a lot of awareness and appreciation of the work that they do.”

Businesses including Giant Eagle and Bullfrog Sports Café have donated food, pop and paper products for the event. A DJ has donated his time and family-centered activities like face-painting will be available for children.

Hall said the welcome home party is the least Kirk’s friends and family could do.

“We have an obligation to stand up and say thank you to our soldiers,” she said. “He stood for all of us. We ask that everybody come out and listen to his story.”