Lee shuts down L.A. for 17th win

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cliff Lee has a proven formula for success: get two outs with one pitch.

Lee became the AL’s first 17-game winner by pitching his third complete game, and the Cleveland Indians turned four double plays in a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Friday night.

“The guys made a lot of big plays behind me, Asdrubal [Cabrera] especially. I’ve told him about it four times since the game ended,” said Lee, who won for the sixth time in seven starts and lowered his ERA to 2.43.

The Angels have baseball’s best record (75-45) and had scored 48 runs in their last six games but could muster just eight hits and two runs against the left-hander.

“That might be the best lineup I’ve ever faced,” Lee said. “They are in first place for a reason.”

Lee (17-2) struck out six and moved closer to becoming Cleveland’s first 20-game winner since Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry did it in 1974. He also has a shot at giving Cleveland its second straight Cy Young Award winner. CC Sabathia, traded to Milwaukee July 7, won the award a year ago.

Cleveland scored twice in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. Shin-Soo Choo’s one-out double off Jered Weaver got it started.

Jose Arredondo (4-1) walked Kelly Shoppach and yielded a tying RBI single to Ryan Garko. Walks to pinch-hitter David Dellucci and Cabrera forced in Shoppach.

Chone Figgins singled off Lee to start the game, moved up on a bunt by Erick Aybar and scored on a single to right by Mark Teixeira.

Cleveland tied it at 1 in the fourth on consecutive doubles by Ben Francisco and Jhonny Peralta.

Juan Rivera hit Lee’s first pitch of the fifth for his eighth homer and 2-1 lead. Rivera is 5-for-12 with three homers in his career against Lee.

The Indians turned double plays in four straight innings, including one started by Lee. After walking Jeff Mathis in the fifth, Lee lunged off the mound to backhand a bunt by Figgins and throw to first to easily double off Mathis.

In the sixth, Lee got Guerrero to hit into a double play. Then second baseman Cabrera barehanded a ball on the shortstop side of the bag and threw to first to retire Torii Hunter for the final out.

With runners on first and third in the seventh, Lee got Mathis to bounce into an inning-ending double play. Teixeira grounded into another double play to end the eighth.