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Indians top Rangers, halt seven-game skid

May 25, 2008 - 2:59 AM By Todd Krepop PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Cliff Lee snapped one losing streak and made sure another didn't get started.

Lee pitched 6 2/3 solid innings and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Texas Rangers 5-2, on Saturday night.

Ben Francisco blasted a three-run homer and Jhonny Peralta added a solo shot as the Indians snapped their seven-game losing streak.

"It's always big to get that win and move away from it," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.

Lee bounced back from his worst start of the season to hold a Rangers' offense that had scored 31 runs in their previous three games to two runs.

It looked like Texas' offense would be too much for Lee early, as the Rangers scored a run in each of the first two innings, but Lee held them scoreless after that. He scattered seven hits while striking out eight and walking four.

"(The Rangers) got a good lineup and they have some good hitters," Lee said. "I made a few mistakes early, but I am pretty happy with the way things went after that. I started locating my pitches little better."

"As you see by his record, he's tough," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "I thought we got him working a little bit, but he settled down. We made them come get him, but it was too late."

Lee was rocked for six runs in his last start against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, and for the first time this season was pitching after a loss.

"I take it one game at a time," Lee said. "What happened last time doesn't matter and what I did tonight doesn't matter (now). I have to start preparing for my next opponent."

Rafael Perez pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Joe Borowski returned from the disabled list and worked the ninth for his third save in five chances.

With Cleveland trailing, 2-1, Francisco's three-run homer in the third staked the Indians to a 4-2 lead.

Grady Sizemore drew a leadoff walk and Travis Hafner was a hit with a pitch with one out. Francisco, who was batting cleanup for the injured Victor Martinez, lined Scott Feldman's 2-2 offering over the left field wall for his second home run.

"I completely missed my spot," Feldman said. "It was supposed to be down and away and it was middle."

It was a bit of redemption for Francisco, who had a three-run home run taken away from him Friday night when the umpires didn't see the ball clear the wall and ruled it a double.

"It was nice to get it over the railing and leave no doubt," Francisco said.

It was the first home run by a Cleveland cleanup hitter since Hafner went deep on April 4 at Oakland.

"I never thought I would be in the cleanup spot in the majors," Francisco said. "I just try to have the same approach no matter where I am in the lineup."

Peralta provided further insurance for the Indians with a solo homer in the sixth off Feldman.

Feldman yielded five runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked one.

"I'm really disappointed," Feldman said. "When you're going against a pitcher like Cliff Lee, you can't give up five runs and expect to win. We have a great offense, but the way he's pitching, you know you can't give up a lot of runs."

Ian Kinsler and David Murphy each had an RBI single for the Rangers.