Sizemore powers Indians victory

Tuesday, August 29, 2006 The Tribe's center fielder now has 75 extra-base hits. CLEVELAND (AP) — Grady Sizemore homered, doubled twice and scored three runs to help Paul Byrd bounce back from a brutal outing, lifting the Cleveland Indians over the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 Monday night. The perpetually hustling Sizemore, who in his second full season has emerged as the club's best position player, leads the league with 75 extra-base hits, two more than Boston's David Ortiz. Ryan Garko added a pair of RBI doubles off A.J. Burnett (6-6) as the Indians improved to a major league-best 14-5 since Aug. 9. Reed Johnson had three hits for the Blue Jays. Byrd rocked again Byrd (9-6) didn't make it out of the first inning of his previous start, getting banged around for nine runs — three earned — and eight hits at Kansas City on Wednesday. He escaped with a no-decision when the Indians, trailing 10-1 after the first inning, rallied to win 15-13. This time, the right-hander stayed around just long enough to get a cheap win, allowing three earned runs and 10 hits in five-plus innings. Fernando Cabrera worked two scoreless innings, Rafael Betancourt pitched the eighth and Tom Mastny hit a batter with two outs in the ninth, before getting his fourth save in four tries since being handed the closer's job. Sizemore's 20th homer — he hit 22 in 2005 — put the Indians ahead 6-4 in the sixth. The center fielder, who also leads the AL in doubles (46) and runs (107), drilled a 2-1 pitch from Burnett over the wall in center. Big inning Three doubles, two intentional walks and a sacrifice fly helped the Indians snap a 2-2 tie and score three runs in the fifth. Sizemore led off with his second double and scored when Jason Michaels thumped a two-base hit off the left-field wall. The Blue Jays put Travis Hafner on, and one out later, Garko's RBI double made it 4-2. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons then chose to walk Shin Soo-Choo but Jhonny Peralta followed with a sac fly, scoring Hafner. The Blue Jays trimmed it to 5-4 while chasing Byrd in the sixth. Vernon Wells doubled, Troy Glaus singled and Lyle Overbay's base hit made it 5-3. Gregg Zaun's single loaded the bases and knocked out Byrd. Cabrera came on and got Bengie Molina to hit into a double play, scoring Glaus to pull the Blue Jays within one. Garko had tied it 2-2 with an RBI double in the fourth. Victor Martinez walked and Cleveland's slow-footed catcher was able to score when Garko hit a towering shot off the wall in left-center. The Blue Jays took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on Molina's two-out RBI single. Sizemore gave the Indians a 1-0 lead in the first when he doubled, moved up on a sacrifice and scored on Hafner's groundout. Toronto tied it 1-1 in the second on Zaun's RBI single. Notes Sizemore needs one triple to become the first player in Cleveland history to have two straight seasons of double digits in doubles, triples, homers and stolen bases. ... Overbay has an AL leading 20 doubles since the All-Star break.