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Gutierrez helps Indians top Rangers

Aug 25, 2008 - 5:03 AM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Franklin Gutierrez hit a go-ahead RBI single in the ninth inning, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.

Shin-Soo Choo, David Dellucci and Ryan Garko each drove in a run for Cleveland, which extended its season-high winning streak to seven games and swept the Rangers in Texas for the first time in more than 35 years.

With the game tied at 3-3, Garko hit a one-out single off Eddie Guardado (3-3). After a sacrifice, Gutierrez's single to center field - his second hit of the night - plated pinch runner Andy Gonzalez.

"Gutierrez had three great at-bats today," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "It's nice to see him continue swinging the bat today."

Rafael Betancourt (3-4), who walked in the tying run in the eighth, bounced back with a perfect ninth to seal the win.

"Betancourt came in and they put up a tough at-bat against him and he ended up walking the guy, but he got the next guy out, kept it a tie game," Wedge said. "And as it always is, he's in the meat of the lineup in the ninth inning, like it usually works out, and he did a great job."

Cleveland starter Anthony Reyes allowed just one run and four hits in seven innings, departing with a 3-1 lead. However, he was let down by the Indians' bullpen.

"I felt pretty good," Reyes said. "I tried to work ahead, but I fell behind most of the time, so it was kind of a struggle. But I made some pitches and got them to hit outs."

"I thought he threw the ball very well today," Wedge said. "It looked to me that last couple of innings, he got a little bit stronger. He was under control, he was making pitches."

Reyes gave way in the eighth to Juan Rincon, who allowed a two-out RBI double to Gerald Laird that cut Texas' deficit to 3-2. Rincon walked Chris Davis to load the bases before being relieved by Betancourt, who issued a free pass to pinch hitter Ramon Vazquez, forcing in a run.

Gutierrez then came through in the ninth to help the Indians to their first three-game sweep of the Rangers here since August 10-12, 1973.

"We got back in it and had the right people in the game, but we couldn't pull it off," Texas manager Ron Washington said.

Rangers starter Vicente Padilla, who is winless in his last five starts, allowed three runs and five hits in five innings with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Padilla let a 1-0 lead slip away in the fourth, when Choo ripped an RBI triple and scored on Garko's sacrifice fly. The righthander then faltered in the fifth, as Gutierrez led off with a double and later scored when Dellucci was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Milton Bradley had an RBI single in the third for Texas, which has lost three straight and 10 of 12. Bradley later left for a pinch runner after suffering a strained right quadriceps in the eighth.

"Injuries are not an excuse, every team has them," Texas shortstop Michael Young said. "It's up to us to make sure we go out and see what we're made of. We can go two different directions. We can sit here and pout, throw the towel in, or we can battle and try to make some good adjustments."