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Byrd, Garko lift Indians past Athletics

May 14, 2008 - 3:07 AM By Todd Krepop PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Paul Byrd became the latest Cleveland Indians starter to throw a zero up on the scoreboard.

Byrd pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings and the Indians shut out the Oakland Athletics 4-0, on Tuesday night.

Ryan Garko blasted a three-run home run for the Indians, who won for the fourth time in five games.

Byrd (2-3) extended the scoreless streak of the Indians' starting pitchers to 34 innings over the past five games. C.C. Sabathia was the last starter to give up a run - in the fifth inning of Friday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

"I definitely had a little pressure on me," said Byrd, who scattered five hits and didn't walk a batter. "It's like I am loser if I would have given up one run."

Rafael Perez retired one batter in the eighth and Masa Kobayashi recorded the final four outs to pick up his first save in the majors and preserve Cleveland's third shutout in its last four games.

"It's a friendly competition (between the starters)," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "They are trying to one-up each other and they are feeding off of that."

Cleveland extended their 1-0 lead in the eighth on Garko's blast to center. With two outs, Victor Martinez walked and Travis Hafner singled. Garko followed by blasting reliever Andrew Brown's 1-1 offering to the deepest part of the ballpark for his first home run since April 17.

"You just go day-to-day and (the home runs) will eventually come," Garko said.

The Indians' starters' streak might have been in jeopardy if not for some spectacular plays by the Cleveland defense."

Oakland banged out three hits in the second inning, but Frank Thomas was thrown out at the plate by Grady Sizemore to end the inning.

A's manager Bob Geren defended the decision to send the 39-year-old designated hitter from second base.

"It was good throw right on the money," Geren said. "I know Grady has a good arm, but with two outs you got to go for it."

Sizemore also made a diving catch to rob Kurt Suzuki of a leadoff single in the sixth, and fittingly Byrd's night ended when second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, who turned the 14th unassisted triple play in major league history Monday night, made a spectacular catch to start the eighth.

Bobby Crosby hit a pop fly to shallow center which look destined for a base hit, but Cabrera raced from his position to make a diving catch with his back toward the infield for the first out.

"I can't say enough about the guys behind me," Byrd said. "I kept fist-pumping after each play. My box score is going to look great because of them."

Justin Duchscherer had his best outing since being reinstated from the disabled list on April 26.

After allowing an RBI single to Hafner in the first, he retired the next 13 batters. He held the Indians to four hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking two, but still walked away with the tough loss.

"That will happen sometimes," Duchscherer said. "I gave up six runs in Anaheim and got the win. It eventually all evens out.