Cleveland’s Lee makes his pitch for All-Star start

The lefty improved to 12-2 after blanking the Rays for six innings of a 5-0 win.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cliff Lee is going to the All-Star game on another shutout streak.

Cleveland’s left-hander pitched six stellar innings in a warmup for a possible All-Star start at Yankee Stadium as the Indians defeated Tampa Bay 5-0 Friday night to extend the Rays’ season-high losing streak to five games.

“I’m just happy to be going,” Lee (12-2) said of being selected to the AL squad for the first time. “If they choose me to start, I’d be ecstatic and honored. I’m just planning to show up and try to do all I can to help my team win.”

That’s exactly what Lee did against Tampa Bay, joining Joe Saunders of the Los Angeles Angels for the AL lead in wins while lowering his ERA to 2.31.

“He’s deserving of [an All-Star] start,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said.

Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run homer and RBI double off James Shields (7-6) as the Indians beat the Rays in Cleveland for the 11th consecutive time since Sept. 29, 2005.

The Indians entered the four-game series on a 10-game losing streak — their longest in 29 years — but have claimed consecutive wins for the first time since June 26-27.

“It’s surely messing up our seven-game winning streak,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

Tampa Bay had won seven a row to open a five-game lead in the AL East July 6. A 10-inning loss Monday to Kansas City started the Rays on their current slide, in which they’ve been outscored 32-7 and had their lead trimmed to 11‚Ñ2 games over the Boston Red Sox.

“I’m not concerned,” Maddon said. “We’ll get through this. You’re not going to be void of these moments in a season. They’re going to happen.”

Lee allowed five hits and struck out seven, improving to 5-0 with a 1.62 ERA in seven home starts. It was the sixth time in 18 starts he didn’t allow an earned run.

His only walk was to Akinori Iwamura to start the game — his second to a left-handed batter in 1242‚Ñ3 innings this season. Lee then struck out the next three batters.

Tampa Bay put its leadoff hitter on base each time through four innings.

“I seemed to pitch better out of the stretch all night,” Lee said. “I’ve had a good first half, but I also got some breaks and there’s a lot of things I could do better. Not allowing the first guy in an inning to reach all the time would be good.”