Buckeye state’s best: Indians sweep Reds

Photo by: Tony Dejak

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo

A Cleveland Indians fan waves a broom after the Indians beat the Cincinnati Reds 12-4 in a baseball game to sweep the three game series, Sunday, May 22, 2011, in Cleveland.

Photo by: Tony Dejak

AP

Photo

Cleveland Indians center fielder Ezequiel Carrera catches a fly ball hit by Cincinnati Reds' Paul Janish in the ninth inning in a baseball game, Sunday, May 22, 2011, in Cleveland. The Indians won 12-4.

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Before the game, Asdrubal Cabrera tossed tennis balls to his 3-year-old son, Meyer, who belted them around the field while wearing dad’s No. 13.

Dad did the same thing to the Cincinnati Reds.

Cabrera went 5 for 5 with two homers and a career-high five RBIs as Cleveland completed a three-game sweep of Cincinnati, beating the reeling Reds 12-4 on Sunday to — at least for the moment — grab bragging rights as Ohio’s best team.

Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Edinson Volquez (3-2) for the Indians, who did early damage after winning the series’ first two games with late-inning comebacks. Cabrera added a solo homer in the sixth to give Cleveland an 8-4 lead.

“He was a one-man show at the plate,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “He was unbelievable. He was on every pitch, and he has played like an All-Star for us since Day One.”

Michael Brantley, Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo — the top three hitters in Cleveland’s lineup — went a combined 10 for 12 with six runs and nine RBIs as the Indians, now seen more as a contender than early season surprise, moved 14 games over .500 for time since 2007.

With its first sweep of the Reds in seven years, Cleveland improved baseball’s best record to 29-15 — 18-4 at Progressive Field, tying the best home start in franchise history.

“They are tough at home,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “They are playing good baseball. Whatever they needed, they got this series.”

Carlos Carrasco (3-2) gave up four runs in six-plus innings, handing the Reds their fifth straight loss. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce hit solo homers off the right-hander, who was lucky that several line drives were hit directly at Cleveland fielders.

“We hit four, five, six balls well that on other days would have been doubles,” Cincinnati outfielder Chris Heisey said. “That’s baseball. You get days where you nub three or four and they go for hits. But Cleveland made some good plays.”

After horsing around on the field with Meyer, who insisted that his dad pitch to him outside and not in the indoor cages, Cabrera’s day against the Reds didn’t start well. The steady shortstop made a throwing error on Drew Stubbs’ grounder leading off, but he more than made up for it with his first five-hit, multihomer game. Cabrera also had an error in the sixth, but it didn’t cause any harm.

The Indians missed Cabrera last season, when they lost 93 games. He was out two months after breaking his left forearm in a collision with former Indians third baseman Jhonny Peralta. Other than that, the 25-year-old Cabrera has been everything the Indians could have hoped for since they called him up in the 2007 playoff stretch.

Now healthy, there isn’t a shortstop in the AL playing better.

“We think he’s one of the best at his position,” Acta said. “We’re glad we have him.”