AMERICAN LEAGUE Piniella credits pitching for Tribe's weekend sweep

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella discovered a key difference between the Devil Rays and Cleveland Indians, the major league's two youngest teams.
"They're just more advanced than we are, especially in the pitching," Piniella said after the Indians completed a three-game sweep with a 7-5 victory Sunday.
"That's where it shows up ... pitching. On the field we're fairly comparable. In the pitching, they're a little deeper."
Jake Westbrook (6-7) allowed four runs and nine hits in five innings. However, the Cleveland right-hander held the Devil Rays to 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
"The offense did a good job picking me up," Westbrook said.
Six Indians drove in runs, with Ryan Ludwick leading the way with two RBI singles. Cleveland has won 13 of 19 since Aug. 6.
"We're moving in the right direction," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.
On a roll
Ludwick has played an important role offensively. He is 15-for-49 with four homers and 15 RBIs in his past 11 games.
"I want to be more consistent," Ludwick said. "I still swing at things I shouldn't."
David Riske pitched a perfect ninth for his third save. He has given up one run in his last 142/3 innings.
Marlon Anderson and Aubrey Huff drove in two runs each for Tampa Bay, which has lost five straight. The Devil Rays have allowed 36 runs during the skid.
"This weekend was disappointing," Piniella said.
Ludwick and Tim Laker had RBI singles during a four-run fifth that gave Cleveland a 7-3 lead. Jhonny Peralta and Coco Crisp added sacrifice fly's.
Consecutive RBI singles by Casey Blake, Jody Gerut and Ludwick put the Indians up 3-0 in the third.
"It was nice to string some hits together," Wedge said.
Rays rally
Tampa Bay tied it in the bottom of the third on run-scoring singles by Huff, Rocco Baldelli and Anderson.
Anderson picked up his second RBI on a grounder in the fifth that got the Devil Rays to 7-4.
Huff made it a two-run game in the seventh on his 23rd homer. That equals his career high set last season.
Tampa Bay starter Jeremi Gonzalez (6-6) gave up seven runs and 11 hits over 41/3 innings. He had allowed just eight runs over his previous 29 innings.
"I wasn't hitting my spot," Gonzalez said. "We scored enough runs to win this ballgame, but when you don't hit your spot, you're going to get crushed."