By Todd Krepop
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
CLEVELAND (Ticker) - After a slow start to the season, the
Cleveland Indians seem to be back on track and it's their
starting pitching leading the way.
Aaron Laffey pitched seven strong innings as the Indians
defeated the Oakland Athletics, 4-2, on Thursday.
Jhonny Peralta had a home run and scored three runs for
Cleveland, which finished 6-1 on its seven-game homestand and
moved three games over .500 for the first time this season.
The Indians entered the homestand two games under .500 and in
third place in the AL Central, but their starting pitching
allowed just one earned run in 55 1/3 innings on the homestand -
including a stretch of 44 1/3 scoreless innings - as the
Indians catapulted into first place.
"It's been outstanding," said Indians manager Eric Wedge about
his starting pitching. "Rarely, if ever, do you see stretches
like what we are seeing with our starters."
Laffey (2-2) allowed an unearned run and five hits while
striking out six, but was unable to keep the Indians starters'
scoreless streak going.
The Indians' rotation entered the game having not allowed a run
in 43 1/3 innings - the longest streak since the 1974 Baltimore
Orioles' staff threw 54 scoreless innings. But Laffey's
throwing error in the second ended the streak.
"You don't want to be that guy that gives it up," Laffey said.
"You minimize your mistakes by concentrating on each and every
hitter."
With runners on first and second and one out, Rob Bowen hit a
soft grounder in front of the mound. Laffey picked up the ball
but threw it in right field to tie the score at 1-1.
"I was upset about the error," he said.
Trailing 4-1, the Athletics made it close in the ninth, as they
scored a run off closer Rafael Betancourt. But Masa Kobayashi
struck out Mike Sweeney and Ryan Sweeney with runners on second
and third to pick up his second save in as many chances.
"I liked the way we fought to the end," A's manager Bob Geren
said. "We had the winning run at the plate and we made
(Cleveland) go to their second closing option."
Ben Francisco and Travis Hafner each had an RBI single in the
third to give Cleveland a 3-1 lead.
A's starter Greg Smith plunked Grady Sizemore and walked Peralta
to start the inning. Francisco followed with a single to left
and two batters later, Hafner drove in his 499th career run with
a single up the middle.
Peralta hit a solo shot in the seventh off of reliever Santiago
Casilla to cap the Indians' scoring. Peralta blasted the first
pitch he saw over the right field wall for his seventh home run
of the season.
"That was a big run." Wedge said. "It took us from a two-run
lead to a three-run lead late, which was big for us. It ended up
being bigger than we wanted it to be."
Smith (2-3) struggled with his command, as he threw 102 pitches
in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs and seven hits while
striking out seven and walking three.
"I was inconsistent," said Smith. "I would locate the fastball
sometimes, but other times it wasn't there. Next thing I knew I
was at 100 pitches."
The A's have now lost five of their last six games and scored
only two runs in the three-game series.
"We ran into some tough pitching," Geren said. "We played good
defense and pitched very well, but we just haven't scored any
runs."
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