Sabathia foils Cards as Tribe wins again, 3-1

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- C.C. Sabathia worked eight dominant innings to help the Cleveland Indians win consecutive games for the first time since the beginning of June, and send the St. Louis Cardinals to their eighth straight loss with a 3-1 victory on Tuesday night.
Ronnie Belliard hit a two-run homer in the first for the Indians, who won their second straight game and clinched their first series win since taking three of four from the Chicago White Sox from May 29-June 1.
On Monday, they snapped a 10-game losing streak in series openers. Today, they'll go for a sweep of the Cardinals, whose last eight-game slide was July 4-16, 1988.
The Indians, who are 9-15 this month, last won consecutive games on May 31-June 1. They're 10-3 all-time against the Cardinals, including 6-2 in St. Louis.
David Eckstein had three hits and an RBI for the Cardinals, who have been outscored 67-28 during the slump, although they still lead the NL Central by 11/2 games. They're 0-6 since getting Albert Pujols back from a side injury.
Sabathia muffles Cards
Sabathia (6-4) allowed nine runs in 21/3 innings against the Cubs in his last start, the run total equaling his career worst, and had been 0-3 with a 10.24 ERA in four starts this month. He muffled the Cardinals, allowing one run and five hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
Rookie Anthony Reyes, making his fifth career start and first since losing on a one-hitter to the White Sox, allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. He was trailing after the first two batters, a full-count walk to Grady Sizemore followed by Belliard's fifth homer that put the Indians ahead 2-0.
The Cardinals cut the deficit to one in the third on Hector Luna's leadoff double off the third base bag and Eckstein's two-out RBI single.
Reyes (1-2) worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth, which was delayed 18 minutes by a brief rainstorm, getting Victor Martinez on an infield pop-up for the third out.
A two-out rally in the seventh against Adam Wainwright started by Jhonny Peralta's single and capped by Martinez' single gave the Indians a 3-1 lead.
Bob Wickman got the last three outs for his 11th save in 13 chances. It came in his 744th appearance, tying him with Willie Hernandez for 50th on the career list.
Notes
Sizemore doubled in the third and is 13-for-35 (.371) during a nine-game hitting streak. He's among the league leaders with 41 extra-base hits, by far the most by a leadoff hitter.
The Cardinals have been out-homered 22-8 over the last 11 games. They have no long balls the last four games.
The Indians are assured of only their second series win since May 23. They had been 1-8-1 since then.
Three of Reyes' four starts have come in interleague play. He beat Kansas City earlier this season.
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