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Carroll caps comeback as Indians edge Rangers

Aug 24, 2008 - 5:46 AM By Jay Miller PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Pinch hitter Jamey Carroll laced a go-ahead, RBI single in the eighth inning as the Cleveland Indians erased a six-run deficit en route to an 8-7 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

The Rangers used a six-run fourth to take a 7-1 lead, but the Indians responded with six runs of their own in the next frame. Shin-Soo Choo walked with the bases loaded to trigger the outburst and Ryan Garko followed with a two-run single before Kelly Shoppach capped the rally with a three-run homer.

"I just guessed and got lucky. He threw it where I was swinging," Shoppach said after the Indians won their sixth straight. "It definitely is a very pleasing day, to score six right after they scored six. I know that had to take all of the momentum out of them."

Jamey Wright (6-5) threw 1 2/3 innings of relief for the Rangers, but surrendered an infield single by Shoppach, who advanced to second on a passed ball before being lifted for pinch runner Franklin Gutierrez. Carroll then delivered his decisive hit.

"He always puts up a good at bat," Cleveland manger Eric Wedge said of Carroll. "He's going to give himself a chance to be successful and that's what he does."

Rafael Perez (3-3) tossed a scoreless seventh to notch the win and Jensen Lewis struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save.

"It's been our mantra the last two or three weeks, we're going to go down to the end and battle," Lewis said. "It's really paying off.

"This is a really good lineup and they can hurt you a lot of different ways. Especially how the ball flies here, if you don't get it down, bad things can happen."

After a 74-minute rain delay before the first pitch, Brandon McCarthy took the hill in his season debut for the Rangers. The 25-year-old righthander, who had been shelved by right forearm inflammation, became the 15th different starter and the 28th pitcher overall used by the Rangers.

McCarthy threw four innings, surrendering one run, three hits and four walks before Josh Rupe relieved him.

"I told the guys, 'let's get right back after 'em,' and they did," Wedge said. "It was great to be able to come back right away."

The major league-leading Rangers' offense came to life in the fourth. With two on and no out, Marlon Byrd drilled a double to left to score Hank Blalock. Gerald Laird followed with a two-run double and scored on an RBI single by rookie Joaquin Arias.

With two outs and a 3-2 count, Michael Young hammered his 12th home run to increase the Rangers' advantage to 7-1.