Indians make short work of Rangers

Baseball Betting Lines

06/05/2008 - Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Garko had a career-high six runs batted in and Ben Francisco had five hits, as the Cleveland Indians trounced the Texas Rangers, 15-9, in the third installment of a four-game series.

Garko finished 4-for-5 with a walk and scored twice and Francisco was 5-for-6, scoring three runs with an RBI, falling one hit short of tying the major league record for hits in a nine-inning game.

Grady Sizemore and David Dellucci added home runs for the Indians, who have won two of their last three.

Indians starter Cliff Lee (9-1) continued his recent struggles, allowing six runs on nine hits in five innings. Lee did strike out eight in the winning effort, his third straight for the Tribe.

Michael Young had three hits and scored twice with two runs batted in and Milton Bradley homered, scored twice and drove in three runs for Texas.

Sidney Ponson surrendered six runs - two earned behind three errors - on eight hits and three walks in the start for Texas, which has dropped three of four.

Cleveland blew the game open, batting around for five runs in the sixth. The Tribe loaded the bases off Elizardo Ramirez (0-1) with one out before Garko singled up the middle plating two. Dellucci then smacked a three-run blast to right-center two batters later.

The Indians picked up right where they left off, battering Ramirez for four more in the seventh. Victor Martinez lined an RBI double to center and Garko followed with an RBI single. Kameron Loe came on for Ramirez with two out and gave up an RBI single to Casey Blake before recording the third out.

Texas decided to put together some runs in the ninth. Rick Bauer entered for Cleveland in the ninth and gave up a one-out Bradley RBI double to left. Gerald Laird plated a couple, two batters later with a line-double to center, but the Rangers' rally fell six runs short in the end.

Texas put a run on the board in the first when Ian Kinsler tripled to start the frame and scored on a Young groundout.

Cleveland responded with a four-spot in the second. Shin-Soo Choo recorded an RBI double after Blake reached on an error. Asdrubal Cabrera and Sizemore drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Francisco followed with a single to left plating Choo and Martinez hit a sacrifice fly before Garko capped the scoring with an RBI single.

Texas came back to post a four-run inning of their own in the third. Kinsler singled and Young doubled, scoring one before Josh Hamilton plated another on a single to left. Bradley followed with his 12th home run of the season to left-center, helping Texas reclaim the lead 5-4. Lee settled down to retire three of the next four to end the inning.

Cleveland wasted no time in taking back the lead, with two in the fourth. Sizemore stroked a one-out homer to right and Garko lined an RBI single to center.

Texas tied things up in the fifth on a Brandon Boggs RBI triple.

Game Notes

The Rangers placed pitcher A.J. Murray on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday, with a left rotator cuff strain and recalled Loe from Triple-A Oklahoma. The team also purchased the contract of Ramirez from Oklahoma and optioned infielder Travis Metcalf back to Oklahoma...Cleveland evened the season series at three with the victory...Cleveland took six of nine matchups from Texas last season...Jhonny Peralta had his 10-game hitting streak snapped...Young extended his hitting streak to 20 games, the longest in the majors this year...Cleveland equaled their season-highs in runs and hits with 15 and 17 respectively.