A Ray of hope: Tribe wins, again

progressive field

All-Star Grady Sizemore hit his AL-leading 23rd homer for the Indians, who have won three straight games.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ryan Garko drove in five runs to help Matt Ginter earn his first major league win in more than four years, and the Cleveland Indians handed the Tampa Bay Rays their season-high sixth straight loss Saturday night, 8-4.

Tampa Bay has seen its AL East lead of five games dwindle to a half game over Boston.

The Rays were scoreless for 22 innings over three games in Cleveland until Cliff Floyd delivered a two-run single with two outs in the eighth inning off reliever Juan Rincon. All-Star Dioner Navarro doubled home two more off Masa Kobayashi to make it 7-4.

All-Star Grady Sizemore hit his AL-leading 23rd homer for Cleveland, which has dominated the Rays at home since the AL East leaders took two of three games from the Indians to knock them out of the 2005 AL Central race. Tampa Bay is 0-12 at Progressive Field since then.

Ginter (1-0) had not pitched in the majors since a week before those Tampa Bay victories.

The right-hander’s contract was purchased by the Indians from their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo on Saturday. Cleveland needed a starter to take the rotation spot vacated by CC Sabathia, who was traded to Milwaukee on Monday for four prospects.

Ginter gave up five hits over five innings without walking a batter, and tied a career high with five strikeouts in his first big league start since Sept. 18, 2005, for Detroit. He last won with the New York Mets on May 21, 2004, and hadn’t beaten an AL club since a win at Cleveland on July 26, 2001, for the Chicago White Sox.

Garko snapped a 9-for-61 (.148) slump with a two-run homer in the second and three-run double in the third off Matt Garza (7-5).

With two outs and David Dellucci on first after a single, Garko hit a high fastball over the center of the plate into the left-field seats for his seventh homer. It was Garko’s first extra-base hit in 82 at-bats since a three-run homer at Detroit on June 9.

Franklin Gutierrez then singled for his first hit since June 15, breaking an 0-for-32 streak. He scored on Sizemore’s homer to center for a 4-0 lead.

Singles by Jhonny Peralta, Casey Blake and Dellucci loaded the bases to open the third. With one out, Garko sent a blooper to right-center that fell for a three-run double. Both Gabe Gross in center and Eric Hinske in right dived for the ball, which bounced between them as they slid along the grass, still moist from a mid-afternoon rain.

Tampa Bay must win today to complete the first half with the majors’ best record at the All-Star break after having the worst record a year ago.

The Rays could become the fourth team to be in first place at the break a year after having the worst overall record. Philadelphia and the Chicago Cubs did it in 2001, as did the 1989 Baltimore Orioles.

Notes

3B Evan Longoria was the only right-handed hitter to start for the Rays. OF B.J. Upton, in a 7-for-34 slump, was rested. “I think he’s pressing a bit,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. ... Peralta is batting .385 (10-for-26) with three homers and 11 RBIs in his last six games. ... Francisco is 8-for-11 (.727) in his last three games. ... Rays RHP Troy Percival (strained left hamstring) threw 26 pitches off the mound Saturday. ... Rays RHP Al Reyes (shoulder tendinitis) is scheduled to pitch on a minor-league rehab assignment both today and Monday.