Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) – Trevor Crowe had two hits and drove in a pair of runs, helping the Indians beat the Orioles, 4-1, to salvage a win in this three-game set.
Michael Brantley tied a career-high with four hits out of the leadoff spot and scored once for the Indians, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Andy Marte and Asdrubal Cabrera added two hits apiece in the win.
Jeanmar Gomez (3-0) continued the torrid start to his major league career, allowing one run on six hits in six strong innings. The rookie righty, who struck out three without walking a batter, has yielded just four earned runs in 23 1/3 innings thus far, and the Indians are 4-0 in his outings.
Chris Perez pitched a scoreless ninth for his 14th save.
Ty Wigginton hit an RBI single for the Orioles, who fell to 8-2 since Buck Showalter was named manager. Kevin Millwood (2-12) extended his winless skid to seven starts after yielding three runs, nine hits and a walk in seven frames.
The Indians got on the board in the opening inning. Brantley and Cabrera led off with a pair of singles, and both runners moved up on a groundout by Shelley Duncan. With two outs, Brantley scored on Crowe’s infield hit.
Cleveland also began the second inning with two hits — Jason Donald’s single and Marte’s double. Donald came in to score on Lou Marson’s groundout, though Millwood prevented any further damage.
Gomez retired 12 straight batters before the Orioles managed back-to-back two- out singles in the fifth inning. Cesar Izturis couldn’t cash in, flying out to center to end the threat.
The hosts quickly added to their lead in the home half, as Shin-Soo Choo was hit by a pitch leading off and scored on Crowe’s double to center.
The Orioles finally got on the board in the sixth on Wigginton’s RBI single with two outs, and Adam Jones’ leadoff bunt single in the seventh caused the Indians to replace Gomez with Rafael Perez. Perez was able to retire six straight batters over two innings.
Cabrera’s RBI single in the eighth accounted for the final margin.
The teams split the six-game season series, 3-3…The Indians improved to 14-13 after the All-Star break…The Orioles failed to record their first three-game road sweep since June 19-21,2009 in Philadelphia…Baltimore hasn’t swept a series in Cleveland since 1987.