Indians beat Toronto for third straight win

Associated Press

Cleveland

Fausto Carmona remained well-grounded and bounced back from his worst start of the season.

Carmona (7-6), getting groundball outs with a sharp sinker and slider, pitched into the seventh inning and the Cleveland Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 on Tuesday night.

“Fausto threw the ball very well and got a lot of first-pitch strikes,” manager Manny Acta said after the right-hander helped the Indians to their first three-game winning streak since a four-game run June 9-12. Cleveland followed that modest streak by losing 10 of 11 until winning Sunday in Cincinnati.

Carmona gave up four runs — three earned — and six hits over 6 1/3 innings to improve to 3-0 in five career starts against the Blue Jays. In his previous start Thursday at Philadelphia, he allowed seven runs over four innings.

“Much better tonight,” Carmona said after piling up 12 of his first 15 outs on grounders — including four bouncers hit right back to him. “I used the sinker, some sliders, and had very good defense behind me.”

Kerry Wood worked the ninth for his third save in three games and eighth in 11 chances overall. The last time the right-hander had three saves in three days was June 1-3, 2008, with the Chicago Cubs.

“This is something we can all build off of,” Wood said. “The starters are giving us a chance to win and the entire bullpen is doing the job. Everybody is on a roll right now.

Wood hit Jose Molina in the middle of the back with a curveball to open the inning, then struck out pinch-hitter John Buck and got Fred Lewis to bounce into a game-ending double play.

“The most deflating thing is to lead for eight innings and lose in one,” Acta said. “Wood was big.”

Adam Lind had a two-run single for Toronto, which has lost seven of nine.