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Indians top Reds on Cabrera's HR in 10th

Jun 20, 2012 - 4:30 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Asdrubal Cabrera hit his second career game- ending home run, a two-run shot off Aroldis Chapman in the 10th to lift the Cleveland Indians to a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds and put the Tribe in first place.

A day after the teams combined for 19 runs and 27 hits in a back-and-forth affair, neither team could muster more than a run off a pair of starters who came into the game with ERAs above five. In fact, more runs were scored in the single extra inning (three) than the other nine combined (two).

It was Cabrera's seventh homer of the season, giving the Indians their first consecutive wins since June 5-6 at Detroit. It made a winner of Nick Hagadone (1-0), despite the lefty's rocky appearance in the top of the 10th.

"It was a great win, very dramatic," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "The top hitters in our lineup stepped up and had tremendous at-bats. Everyone will remember the walkoff by Cabrera, which was a great at-bat, but (Shin-Soo) Choo before him had an outstanding at-bat."

Willie Harris led off the top of the 10th for the Reds with a double off Joe Smith, but was thrown out at third on a subsequent bunt attempt. Harris would have been safe if he had attempted a normal slide, but tried to hook his foot around the bag, allowing Jack Hannahan a chance to tag him.

Chris Heisey followed with a broken-bat grounder toward Hannahan, who fielded the ball even though the sharp piece of wood slid between his legs. Hagadone was brought in to get out of the inning, but uncorked two wild pitches to allow Heisey to score the go-ahead run.

"It didn't matter how you got the run across, only that you got the run," Reds manager Dusty Baker said of taking the lead in the 10th. "We got the run, but you always want more. It's a tough one to take because we did have the lead."

Chapman (4-3) came in to close the game for Cincinnati, but allowed a one-out single to Choo, who went 2-for-2 against lefties this game after coming in just 13-for-74 against them this season.

It was only the fifth hit to a lefty Chapman had allowed all season in 42 at- bats.

Chapman kept tossing over to first during Cabrera's at-bat and went to a 3-1 count to Cabrera. The catcher, Ryan Hanigan, shouted at Chapman with some encouragement to simply fire the ball home, but his next pitch was sent clear over the right-field wall by Cabrera to give the Indians the victory.

Coupled with the White Sox's loss against the crosstown Cubs, Cleveland moved back into first place for the first time since May 28.

Joey Votto had a pair of hits for the Reds, who will look to avoid being swept for the first time this season. It was the sixth straight loss for Cincinnati in Cleveland, dating to 2010.

Heisey's RBI single in the first scored Zack Cozart, who had three hits out of the leadoff spot. Casey Kotchman came back with an RBI base hit in the fourth to tie the game.

Cincinnati had the best chance to win down the stretch, loading the bases in the seventh with two outs against starter Josh Tomlin. Esmil Rogers came in and struck out Devin Mesoraco to end the threat.

The Reds put runners on the corners in the eighth after a Hannahan error, but Vinnie Pestano retired Jay Bruce on a flyout.

Game Notes

Brandon Phillips grounded into his NL-leading 11th double play in the first inning...Choo had three hits batting leadoff, while Cabrera had two...Mike Leake and Tomlin opposed each other for the second time in a week. Leake lasted seven innings and gave up a run on six hits with four strikeouts, and Tomlin allowed one run on six hits in 6 2/3 frames...Cabrera's other game- ending home run came on August 28, 2010, against Kansas City...Chapman yielded only his second home run of the season and the fourth of his three-year career. Both home runs given up this year have been to Cleveland.