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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Cleveland extended its longest
winning streak in two years with an eventful game that included
three hit batters and three ejections.
|  | | Juan Gonzalez was 2-for-5 with two runs scored against the Devil Rays. |
Russell Branyan homered and had three RBI as the Indians made
it seven straight by beating the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 9-4 Saturday.
It's Cleveland's best string of success since an eight-game run
in April 1999.
Tampa Bay starter Paul Wilson (1-4) hit one batter, and
Cleveland starter Tim Drew plunked two -- all in the first four
innings. Home plate umpire Mike Dimuro then warned Wilson and both
benches after the right-hander threw a high-and-tight fastball to
Omar Vizquel in the fifth.
Tampa Bay's Felix Martinez had been hit by a pitch in the bottom
of the fourth.
"Felix Martinez was hit initially in the leg," umpire crew
chief Ed Rapuano said. "Vizquel came up and a pitch was up in the
head area. There is a new rule in major league baseball that they
want a warning when there's a flagrant pitch to the head area. So
(Dimuro) enforced the rule."
Devil Rays manager Hal McRae said his team had no reason to
retaliate and wasn't trying to.
"The warning wasn't justified, nothing was justified," McRae
said. "It started over nothing. Felix was hit in the leg. ... If
I'm hit in the leg by a pitch, it doesn't mean nothing. It means I
receive a free pass to first base. I didn't see intent today."
Dimuro ejected Tampa Bay's Mike Judd in the eighth for an inside
pitch just above the belt to Einar Diaz. McRae was also ejected.
"I was shocked," Judd said. "I don't think it was that far in
actually ... it was up, but it wasn't in. I wasn't trying to hit
anyone."
Tampa Bay catcher Mike DiFelice, who wasn't even playing in the
game, was ejected for arguing with Dimuro before the start of the
ninth inning. DiFelice came out to warm up pitcher Esteban Yan and
had to be restrained by teammates while yelling at the umpire.
That happened after Cleveland pitcher Steve Karsay threw an
inside pitch to John Flaherty in the eighth inning.
"I guess they've got to pick their spots and know what the
rules are," Karsay said. "They felt that guys were getting hit
and it was starting to get out of hand. I thought it was a smart
thing to do, but for me you've got to pitch inside."
Ellis Burks, who had four RBI in the Indians' 8-6 win Friday,
hit a run-scoring single during a two-run fifth that made it 6-4.
Burks added a sacrifice fly, and Branyan had an RBI grounder during
a three-run fourth.
Branyan hit a solo homer in the sixth and had an eight-inning
sacrifice fly.
Fred McGriff put the Devil Rays up 4-1 with a three-run homer in
the third. That came after Indians shortstop Vizquel was charged
with an error when his throw pulled first baseman Jim Thome off the
base on Greg Vaughn's two-out grounder.
McGriff has homered off 299 different pitchers. Only five
players -- Mark McGwire, Eddie Murray, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds and
Reggie Jackson -- have hit homers off 300 different pitchers.
Marty Cordova extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a
run-scoring single in the fourth as the Indians tied it at 4.
Cordova also robbed Jose Guillen of a hit with the bases loaded
and two outs in the fifth. Running toward the left field fence, he
made a leaping catch to preserve the Indians' 6-4 lead.
Drew allowed four runs -- one earned -- and seven hits in 4 2-3
innings. Justin Speier (2-0) worked a scoreless 1 1-3 innings to
get the win.
Wilson was lifted after allowing Branyan's homer to make it 7-4.
He gave up seven runs and nine hits over 5 1-3 innings.
Game notes
Indians manager Charlie Manuel said he still hasn't talked
with RHP Bartolo Colon about coming back one day later than planned
on Thursday after being excused to tend to a personal matter in the
Dominican Republic. ... Karsay allowed one hit over the final three
innings for his first save. ... Vizquel has three errors in 27
games. He had three errors in 156 games last season. ... The
Indians have won eight straight road games. ... Indians RHP Charles
Nagy (right elbow) allowed one run and seven hits over seven
innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo.
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OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Cleveland Clubhouse
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
RECAPS
NY Yankees 5
Baltimore 2
Boston 7
Oakland 1
Seattle 7
Toronto 5
Cleveland 9
Tampa Bay 4
Kansas City 12
Minnesota 10
Texas 2
Chi. White Sox 0
Detroit 11
Anaheim 2
NY Mets 8
Arizona 1
San Diego 5
Cincinnati 2
Chicago Cubs 20
Los Angeles 1
Atlanta 6
St. Louis 5
Milwaukee 8
Florida 2
Houston 4
Montreal 3
Philadelphia 4
San Francisco 2
Pittsburgh 11
Colorado 3
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