Twins clobber Indians for sweep

The Tribe has lost seven straight contests to fall seven games back.
COMBINED DISPATCHES
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins will have to wait a few weeks before they can officially take the checkered flag and run a victory lap around the Metrodome.
But that's about the only thing left of the race for the Central Division championship after Minnesota completed a three-game sweep over the Indians with a 7-3 decision Sunday.
Corey Koskie homered and Torii Hunter had three hits, including a three-run double, for Minnesota. The first-place Twins, who led Cleveland by only a game last Sunday, took a seven-game lead in the AL Central.
The Indians have lost seven straight, including four to the Twins.
"They played well and took it to us," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "We need to clear our heads and get a fresh start at home."
Brad Radke (9-6) allowed two unearned runs and seven hits in seven innings to win his fourth straight decision. He struck out four and walked one, and hasn't lost since July 16 -- going 4-0 with three no-decisions in that span.
"We needed to play these guys tough," Radke said. "They kind of got to us a little in Cleveland, and we gave them a little payback."
Sabathia rocked
C.C. Sabathia (9-8) gave up seven runs and 10 hits in 52/3 innings, leaving after hitting Justin Morneau.
"I'm disappointed in myself that I couldn't get it done," Sabathia said. "The definition of an ace is a guy who continues to win a game that the guys need. ... I wasn't that at all today."
Morneau, who put the Twins ahead for good with a sacrifice fly, left the game after he was hit by Sabathia. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays, which were negative, and the team said he is day to day.
With the score tied at 2 in the fifth, Lew Ford walked on a full count with one out and Hunter singled to right to put runners on first and third. Morneau hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Ford with the go-ahead run.
Matthew LeCroy followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2.
The Twins led 4-2 in the sixth, when they loaded the bases with two outs against Sabathia. Hunter lined a double off the right-field wall, clearing the bases and making it 7-4.
"C.C. throws the ball 97 miles an hour," Hunter said. "I was just trying to make something happen. I didn't want to be the guy who struck out with the bases loaded."
Season high
The Indians have matched their season-high losing streak of seven. But there are 37 games remaining in the season, so is the race truly over?
Unless the Twins suffer a meltdown and the Indians go on a sudden and sustained winning streak, the Tribe's unexpected challenge for the division title will go down only as a valuable learning experience.
If Minnesota plays one game above the .500 level the rest of the way (20-19), the Indians would have to go 26-11 (.702) to tie.
The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the second on a rally started by consecutive one-out singles by Ben Broussard and Casey Blake. One out later, a fielding error by shortstop Cristian Guzman allowed Broussard to score. Grady Sizemore followed with an RBI single.
The Twins answered with a run in the third when Luis Rivas doubled, stole third, and scored on Shannon Stewart's groundout. Koskie's homer, his 21st, tied it at 2 in the fourth.