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Indians rally past Twins

Aug 13, 2011 - 4:34 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Matt LaPorta's RBI double in the eighth inning proved to be the difference, as Cleveland rallied past Minnesota, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game set.

Carlos Santana added two hits, including a run-scoring double, for the Indians, who have won three of four and kept pace in the race for the AL Central crown.

Rafael Perez (5-2) recorded the final out in the eighth to earn the win, and Chris Perez turned in a perfect ninth to record his 24th save as Cleveland won for the 14th time this season in its final turn at the plate.

"We just feed off each other," LaPorta said. "We see one guy step up, and we want to step up, too, and help the ballclub out. I don't think we quit. We continue to go out there and give it everything we have."

Tsuyoshi Nishioka collected a pair of hits and drove in both runs for the Twins, losers in seven of their last eight.

Glen Perkins (4-3) allowed the winning run over two-thirds of an inning to take the loss.

The Indians tallied twice in their last at-bat to claim victory.

Twins starter Carl Pavano remained on the mound for the eighth, but allowed a one-out single to Hafner before Perkins got the call. Santana promptly blasted a double off the wall in right-center to score the tying run, then after moving up on a groundout, Santana came home when LaPorta blooped his hit to short left.

Cleveland's closer Perez retired the side in order to lock up the win.

Minnesota picked up a run in the third as Ben Revere reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and came in on a base hit by Nishioka.

Cleveland tied the game in the sixth thanks to an error by Nishioka, who booted a Hafner grounder at short with runners on the corners, scoring Shin-Soo Choo.

"Just part of growing up; first time over here," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of Nishioka, who joined the club in the offseason after playing in Japan. "Part of growing up and learning. Some balls were hit pretty hard at him."

The Tribe wasted a bases loaded situation in the seventh, when Jason Kipnis grounded out to Justin Morneau, then Minnesota moved ahead in the eighth against Tribe starter Justin Masterson.

Jim Thome walked and his pinch-runner Delmon Young moved to third on a Danny Valencia single. Though Young was erased in a rundown trying to score on Revere's grounder, Nishioka singled in the next at-bat to bring in Valencia with the lead run.

That spelled the end for Masterson, who gave way to the reliever Perez. He induced an inning-ending groundout from Denard Span.

Game Notes

Pavano let up 10 hits and two runs with four strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings, and his counterpart Masterson allowed five hits and two runs over 7 2/3 innings...Morneau made his first appearance since June 9, having been activated from the DL after recovering from wrist and neck surgeries...Prior to the game, the Indians activated Choo from the 15-day disabled list after recovering from a fractured left thumb, and designated outfielder Austin Kearns for assignment.