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Westbrook shuts down Rangers as Indians snap skid

Aug 2, 2007 - 8:51 PM CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Jake Westbrook stopped the Cleveland Indians' skid.

Westbrook pitched six effective innings as the slumping Indians defeated the Texas Rangers, 5-0, on Thursday afternoon.

The Indians snapped their season-high four-game losing streak as they salvaged the finale of their 10-game homestand. Cleveland finished 3-7 on the homestand.

"We struggled this homestand," Westbrook said. "It was good to get this win heading out on the road trip."

Although their lead in the American League wild card race has been trimmed to one game, the Indians (61-47) still find themselves only one-half game behind the Detroit Tigers (61-46) for first place in the AL Central Division.

"I don't know what a loss would have done to our morale, but it was good to get the win," Indians third baseman Casey Blake said.

Westbrook (2-6) ended his eight-start winless drought, which was the longest of his career. It was his first win since April 27 against Baltimore.

"It's been tough, but that's the way it is sometimes," Westbrook said.

One start after that win, Westbrook was placed on the disabled list with a strained left oblique and did not return to the rotation until June 24.

Westbrook has struggled since his return from the disabled list, going 0-4 with a 4.60 ERA in seven previous starts before Thursday. The righthander did pitch one of his best games of the season in his last start against Minnesota, allowing two runs in seven innings.

Westbrook was even better on Thursday, scattering five hits and walking only one while striking out five.

"This is how I expect myself to pitch," Westbrook said. "The last couple of starts I felt I have pitched like I should. I am feeling strong and confident."

Rafael Perez pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth while Edward Mujica worked the ninth to finish off the Indians' fifth shutout this season.

The Rangers had chances to score in the first and second inning, but Westbrook made the pitches when he needed to.

Texas had runners on second and third with one out in the first inning, but Westbrook got Jason Botts to pop out and then struck out Marlon Byrd.

The Rangers also threatened in the third, placing a runner at third with only one out. But Westbrook escaped the jam by striking out Adam Melhuse and getting Ramon Vazquez to ground out.

"I battled though the first two innings and got a zero," Westbrook said. "That was my job. I battled and made good pitches when I had to."

Grady Sizemore's RBI single in the third gave the Indians a 1-0 lead.

Franklin Gutierrez drew a leadoff walk to start the inning. After a sacrifice by Josh Barfield, Gutierrez ended up on third on a wild pitch. Sizemore then hit the ball up the middle past the drawn-in infield for the game's first run.

Sizemore added a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Kenny Lofton beat out an infield grounder for an RBI in the sixth to stretch the Indians' lead to 3-0 and end starter Kason Gabbard's afternoon.

"(Sizemore) stepped up," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "He had a complete game."

Gabbard (4-1), who was acquired from Boston on Tuesday in the deal which sent Eric Gagne to the Red Sox, was making his Rangers debut. The lefthander, whose last start came against the Indians six days ago, allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Gabbard had only one walk but uncorked three wild pitches.

"It's just another ballgame," Gabbard said. "You prepare yourself like you normally do and try to get outs.

"I wasn't too sharp with anything. I got a lot of ground balls, but some of them found holes, and that hurt."

The Indians tacked on two more runs in the seventh on sacrifice fly by Casey Blake and a solo home run by Victor Martinez.

"For us to be at our best, we have to be good in all areas of the game," Wedge said. "We were better today than we have been."

Martinez's 18th home run of the season snapped a 1-for-26 slump.