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Martinez propels Indians past Twins

Aug 28, 2007 - 3:01 AM CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- The Cleveland Indians offense is finally showing signs of life.

Victor Martinez had a two-run home run and Cleveland turned its first triple play in 15 years as the Indians went onto defeat the Minnesota Twins, 8-3, on Monday night.

Cleveland's offense has been struggling since the All-Star break and has scored two runs or less in 15 of its last 32 games. But a recent line p change by Tribe manager Eric Wedge might have produced a spark the Indians needed.

Wedge moved Grady Sizemore back to the lead off spot as well as moving Travis Hafner back to the three spot and Victor Martinez back to cleanup. The changes have paid off so far as Cleveland has scored five runs or more in three consecutive games for only the second time since July 23.

"I think the guys are coming around," Wedge said. "I just want to keep seeing back-to-back games and the guys keep pushing it."

In the last three games, Sizemore has six runs and Hafner and Martinez have combined for eight RBI.

"When you're hitting, you're hitting," Martinez said. "Everybody knows it has been tough lately."

Paul Byrd (13-5) was the beneficiary of Cleveland's offense as he picked up his third consecutive win. The righthander allowed three runs in six innings on six hits. Byrd faced the minimum through four innings, but gave up runs in the fifth and sixth as the Twins cut Cleveland's lead to 7-3.

"The team seems to score when I am pitching," Byrd said. "I'll take it. It's not going to always be that way, so I am going to keep riding the wave."

Minnesota ended Byrd's night in the seventh as the first two batters reached base. Rafael Perez came into relieve Byrd needed only three pitches to get out of the jam.

Perez quickly got ahead of Mike Redmond 0-2. On Perez's third pitch, Redmond grounded to third baseman Casey Blake, who stepped on the bag for the first out. Blake turned and threw to second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera for the second out. Cabrera completed the play by throwing to Martinez at first base for the third out, as the throw beat the slow-footed Redmond by two steps.

"In that situation, you have to stay a step ahead and visualize what you might do," Blake said. "(Redmond) isn't a speedster, so anything hit toward the bag, you might as well go for it."

It was the first triple play the Indians have turned since August 7, 1992 at Baltimore - and only the third time since 1981 that Cleveland has turned a triple play.

"It was cool," Blake said. "It was a big boost for the team. They had first and second, no out, and we got out of it right there."

The Twins last hit into a triple play on May 14, 2006 against the Chicago White Sox.

"I pulled it down the line," Redmond said. "Most teams don't play me down the line. (Blake) was right there and I hit into a triple play."

Despite hitting into three outs with one swing of the bat, Redmond was able to find some humor in it.

"It's the first time I've hit into a triple play," Redmond chuckled. "I don't know what else I can say. Triple plays happen all the time."

Before the Indians' defensive brilliance, Cleveland's bats did its part against Twins starter Carlos Silva (10-13).

Martinez's two-run homer in the third stretched the Indians lead to 3-0. Hafner reached on a two-out single and Martinez followed by blasting Silva's 0-1 pitch into the right field seats.

Cleveland tacked on four more runs an inning later to take control of the game. Casey Blake and Kenny Lofton led off the fourth with singles and advanced up a base on Franklin Gutierrez's sacrifice. Kelly Shoppach followed with a two-run double off the left field wall.

Hafner ended Silva's night three hitters later as he hit a two-run single up the middle to give the Indians a 7-0 lead and ending Silva's night.

"Hafner's hit was big," Wedge said. "Victor got us going and Grady got on base a couple of times. We had a good approach tonight."

The Indians offense tagged Silva for seven runs - six earned - on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings ending what was a superb August on a down note. The Twins righthander entered the game with a 1.61 ERA in the month of August.

"With the situation we're in, I was looking to have a strong outing and keep winning," Silva said. "I made a lot of good pitches. There's nothing I can do. I gave up two hard hit balls. The others were ground balls or were in the hole."

It was the shortest outing for Silva this season.

Jhonny Peralta and Lofton also added sacrifice flies for the Indians.

Jason Bartlett homered for the Twins who came to Cleveland hoping to win at least two of the three games and make the AL Central a three-team race. However, with the loss, the Twins fell to 6 1/2 games behind the Indians.

"I think we can come back," Torii Hunter said. "This is just a regular loss. Nothing went our way. Everything went their way. I think we'll be fine."