• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Reds solve Indians, prevent sweep

Jul 3, 2011 - 11:21 PM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Edgar Renteria and Chris Heisey hit solo home runs and the Cincinnati Reds avoided a sweep Sunday with a 7-5 victory over the Cleveland Indians in the finale of a three-game series.

The Reds banged out 11 hits to finish a disappointing interleague schedule with a win, holding on over the last four innings after Renteria's homer -- his 900th career RBI -- made it 7-2 in the fifth.

Mike Leake (8-4) was shaky in a six-inning start, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks. But he matched a career-high with eight strikeouts to earn his fifth win in his last eight starts.

Shelley Duncan hit a two-run homer for the Indians, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Mitch Talbot (2-5) took the loss after giving up six runs on 10 hits in just four innings and remained winless since May 31.

The Reds salvaged a 1-5 record against the Indians this season and went 6-12 in interleague play.

Cleveland finished 11-7 against the NL this season.

The teams combined to place five players on the NL and AL All-Star teams, which were announced before the game.

For the Reds, first baseman Joey Votto, second baseman Brandon Phillips and right fielder Jay Bruce were picked as reserves.

"I was really, really happy," said Bruce, who has 18 homers and made his first All-Star team. "I knew there was a chance I would make it but I knew there was a chance I wouldn't, too. Turns out, I did. I'm really excited for the opportunity."

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (reserve) and pitcher Chris Perez made the AL team.

"They both earned it," said Indians manager Manny Acta. "Asdrubal has been an All-Star the whole half. He's been fantastic at both ends and Chris Perez has been one of the best closers in the game."

The Indians were trying to become the first team in the history of this all- Ohio rivalry to sweep a season series after winning three games in Cleveland in May.

Duncan's two-run homer gave them a 2-0 lead in the second, but the Reds went in front with a pair of three-run innings.

Heisey belted a solo homer and Miguel Cairo and Fred Lewis had RBI singles in the bottom of the second to make it 3-2.

The Reds then hit four straight singles to start the fourth inning -- Lewis knocked Cairo in during the spurt -- while Votto and Ramon Hernandez added sacrifice flies to give them a 6-2 lead.

Hernandez's fly ball ended up being an inning-ending double play after Phillips was thrown out trying to take third base.

Cincinnati's lead ballooned as high as 7-2 on Renteria's one-out homer off reliever Josh Judy in the fifth. The blast, his first since September 4 in Los Angeles, barely cleared the wall in right field.

The Indians began chipping away, starting with Grady Sizemore's two-run single in the sixth inning to get them within 7-4. Nick Masset relieved Leake in the seventh and surrendered an RBI single to pinch-hitter Travis Hafner.

But Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a perfect eighth and Francisco Cordero worked around a single in the ninth for his 17th save.

Game Notes

Cabrera was named MVP of the so-called Ohio Cup...Leake matched his final record from last season. He struck out eight batters June 11 in San Francisco...Before the game, the Indians placed pitcher Fausto Carmona on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right quadriceps. The right-hander was injured in the top of the third inning of Saturday's win. Cleveland also activated pitcher Chris Perez from the bereavement leave list...The Reds return to NL play beginning with a three-game series against St. Louis starting Monday. Cleveland starts a three-game series with the Yankees on Monday...The Indians haven't swept a three-game series in Cincinnati since June 1999. They went 4-5 on a nine-game road trip.