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Eight-run sixth lifts Indians over Phillies

Jun 21, 2007 - 3:44 AM CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- The Cleveland Indians picked up C.C. Sabathia in a big way.

The Indians broke out with eight runs in the sixth inning and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, 10-6, on Wednesday.

Casey Blake, Jhonny Peralta and Trot Nixon each had two RBI in the sixth, when Cleveland sent 12 men to the plate.

Sabathia (10-2) entered the game with a 1.37 ERA in three starts this month, but only had a record of 1-1 to show for it as his teammates had scored only five runs in that span.

Sabathia looked like he might be heading for his second consecutive loss, throwing 104 pitches after the sixth and with the Indians trailing, 4-2. But Cleveland scored eight runs in the sixth to turn the table.

"It was really good to see," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "C.C. has pitched in a lot of tight ballgames where we haven't done much for him. It was great to see these guys pick him up after he was done for the night."

The lefthander allowed four runs on five hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out four. It was the shortest outing for Sabathia since May 21, but it was good enough to become the third 10-game winner in the majors - joining Anaheim's John Lackey and Boston's Josh Beckett.

"I hadn't thought about the (10 wins)," Sabathia said. "I didn't really do that well, but the guys stepped up tonight."

Trailing, 4-2, entering the bottom half of the sixth, Cleveland went to work on Phillies starter Jon Lieber.

After retiring Jason Michaels to start the sixth, Lieber (3-6) allowed back-to-back singles to Nixon and Ryan Garko. Josh Barfield followed with an RBI double into the left-center gap. The Phillies decided to intentionally walk Grady Sizemore, loading the bases for Blake.

The move backfired as Blake hit a two-run single off Lieber, giving the Indians a 5-4 lead. On the play, Lieber went to backup home plate, but came up limping and was removed from the game with a strained right ankle.

"I came off (the mound) and it was a pop," Lieber said. "I felt it. I didn't know exactly what I did. I basically felt like I twisted my ankle a little bit. But I think it's more muscular than anything."

Lieber allowed seven runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings. The righthander struck out three and walked two.

"I felt good throwing the ball," he said. "Just some things happened there in the sixth. I just wasn't able to control it."

Michael Zagurski relieved Lieber but didn't stop the Indians' onslaught. Victor Martinez greeted Zagurski with an RBI single to left. A walk to Travis Hafner loaded the bases and ended Zagurski's night in favor of Yoel Hernandez.

Peralta laced a double down the right-field line to make it 8-4 and Nixon added a two-run double to cap the scoring in the sixth.

"You keep getting hits like that, it gets contagious," Barfield said. "We kept putting pressure on the pitchers and the defense. We did a good job of that."

Nixon, who had one hit in his last 23 at-bats, had three hits to go along with his two RBI.

"It was nice to have a good night tonight," Nixon said. "It felt good to make some solid contact with the ball and find a few holes out there. I just need to build off of this."

Philadelphia took a 4-2 lead in the sixth on an RBI double by Ryan Howard and an RBI single by Aaron Rowand. Both hits came with two outs.

Jimmy Rollins led off the sixth with a double to left off Sabathia, who retired the next two batters but couldn't get out of the jam when Howard lined a double to right. Rowand followed with a bloop single.

"When we went ahead, 4-2, and Howard got the big hit off C.C., I was feeling good," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "Of course, we've got to hold them and we've been having trouble holding (leads)."

Cleveland tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI groundout by Martinez in the third and Barfield's sacrifice fly in the fourth.

The Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the third on Rod Barajas' two-run homer in the third, his fourth of home run of the season.

Shane Victorino had two RBI for the Phillies, who finished interleague play with an 8-7 record.