Garko’s blast leads Tribe to 6-2 win, split in L.A.

Cleveland has a six-game lead over Detroit in the AL Central.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Garko hit a three-run homer, Asdrubal Cabrera had two RBIs and the Cleveland Indians beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 Sunday night to split a four-game series between AL division leaders.

Cleveland’s 13th victory in 16 tries increased its AL Central lead to six games over Detroit. The first-place Angels, who played without ailing right fielder Vladimir Guerrero again, have an eight-game cushion over Seattle in the AL West.

Aaron Laffey (3-1) pitched five innings for the Indians, allowing two runs and six hits while striking out three in his sixth major league start. One of the runs against the left-hander was unearned, the result of a throwing error by shortstop Jhonny Peralta.

Jensen Lewis, Rafael Perez and Joe Borowski combined for four scoreless innings of three-hit relief.

Weaver battered in short span

Jered Weaver (11-7) threw 97 pitches over five innings, allowing six runs and nine hits — all in a span of 13 batters.

Mike Napoli made his first start behind the plate for the Angels since July 27, when he strained his right hamstring on a steal of second base. The Indians tested him the first two times they put a runner on.

Napoli threw out Franklin Gutierrez trying to steal second in the third inning — but Grady Sizemore stole his 31st base in the fourth to trigger a five-run rally that put Cleveland ahead 5-2.

Sizemore scored on Cabrera’s single off the glove of first baseman Casey Kotchman. Victor Martinez singled and Garko drove the next pitch over the double-decker bullpen in left field for his 17th homer and second of the series, including Friday night’s tying shot off closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Peralta followed with a double and scored on a two-out single by Gutierrez. The Indians tacked on another run in the fifth with doubles by Sizemore and Cabrera.

Maicer Izturis singled in the Angels’ first and scored from third when Peralta fielded Howie Kendrick’s two-out grounder and pulled Garko off first base with his throw. It was Peralta’s team-high 16th error.

Napoli made it 2-0 in the second with a sacrifice fly, but grounded into an inning-ending double play in the fourth with runners at the corners. He also struck out with two on in the sixth.

Saturday

C.C. Sabathia tied for the major league lead with his 17th win, pitching his fourth complete game of the season to lead Cleveland to a 6-1 win over the Angels.

The complete game was the 16th in 216 career starts for Sabathia (17-7).