Hollandsworth Hits Indians To Victory

Todd Hollandsworth hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs to lead the Indians to an 8-4 win at Yankee Stadium. Down on the farm, the news was just as good for Triple-A Buffalo allowed only three hits total in a doubleheader shutout sweep, but Akron lost in 10 innings to snap their winning streak at 10 games.

Hollandsworth started in right field in place of Casey Blake, who returned to Cleveland with a strained left oblique muscle. Blake was put on the disabled list and outfielder Franklin Gutierrez is expected to be recalled from Buffalo on Friday.

Ron Belliard (.288) went 4-for-5 and scored three runs, Jhonny Peralta (.231) went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI and Hollandsworth (.200) was 2-for-5.

Cliff Lee (5-5, 5.04 ERA) allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings and Fausto Carmona (5.10 ERA) gave up one run over 1 1/3 innings before Bob Wickman (2.79 ERA) worked a scoreless ninth.

Jason Michaels (.277) had a tough day. He went 0-for-4 and left with a sprained right ankle after crashing into the left-field wall trying to catch a homer hit by the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez.

During the game, the Indians announced that they have signed three more draft picks, making it 17 overall.

Eighth-round pick Michael Eisenberg, a 6-foot-7 right-hander from Marietta College, 6-4 outfielder Daryl King, an 18-year-old from Benicia, Calif., picked in the 18th round and Dustin Realini, 22, a third baseman from Santa Clara University selected in the 28th round all came to terms.

Class AAA Buffalo (34-35) allowed only three hits in sweeping a doubleheader at Durham, 3-0 and 4-0.

Jeremy Sowers (8-1, 1.27 ERA) pitched two-hitter in the first game. The left-hander walked three and struck out two. The Bisons got only four hits -- but two of them were homers in the fourth inning. Ryan Garko (.251) hit a solo shot, his eighth, and Lou Merloni added a two-run homer, his fourth.

Ron Bay, in his first game since being promoted from Akron, allowed only one hit over five innings in the second game. The right-hander allowed only a second-inning double, walked six and struck out six. Jason Davis, in his first outing since being sent down from the Indians, struck out one over a perfect two innings. Andy Marte (.263) went 2-for-3, scored twice and hit a two-run homer, his seventh of the season and fifth in the last 10 days. Jason Cooper (.218) drove in the Bisons' other two runs.

Class AA Akron (42-23) had its winning streak stopped at 10 by blowing a 5-2 lead and allowing a run in the bottom of the ninth in a 7-6 loss at Connecticut. The Aeros totaled 15 hits and got five stolen bases, three of them by Ivan Ochoa. Nate Panther (.198) went 3-for-5 and drove in two runs. David Wallace (.171) went 3-for-4 and hit his first homer, a solo shot. Starter Adam Miller (3.97 ERA) allowed two runs over five innings. Jim Ed Warden (4.30 ERA) and Travis Foley (2.79 ERA) both gave up two runs over 1 1/3 innings and Juan Lara (3-2, 3.00 ERA) allowed three hits and one run in the ninth for his second blown save and second loss of the season.

Class A Kinston (43-21) bounced back from a doubleheader loss to rout visiting Lynchburg, 9-1. Jordan Brown (.270) went 2-for-3, scoring twice and driving in five runs -- three of them with his sixth homer. Kevin Dixon (3-1, 3.91 ERA) allowed one run over six innings. Reid Santos (3.18 ERA) allowed four runs over three scoreless innings for his second save.

Class A Lake County (27-38) allowed two runs in the 10th inning and lost at home to Lexington, 4-2. Fernando Pacheco (.229) hit his 10th homer, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the score, 2-2, for the Captains. Starter Frank Herrmann (4.74 ERA) gave up two runs over five innings and Jorge Riera (2.00 ERA) pitched two hitless innings. Dustin Roddy (2-2, 3.00 ERA) worked a scoreless ninth, but gave up the two runs in the 10th to lose it.

TODAY'S FARM SYSTEM THREE STARS (HITTING)

PLAYER	TEAM	AB	H	HR	R	RBI	SB	BB	SO
1. J. Brown	Kinston	3	2	1	2	5	0	1	0
2. L. Merloni	Buffalo	5	3	1	1	2	0	0	0
3. D. Wallace	Akron	4	3	1	2	1	1	1	1

TODAY'S FARM SYSTEM THREE STARS (PITCHING)

PLAYER	Team	W	L	SV	IP	ER	H	BB	SO
1. J. Sowers	Buffalo	1	0	0	7.0	0	2	3	2
2. B. Bay	Buffalo	1	0	0	5.0	0	1	6	6
3a. R. Santos	Kinston	0	0	1	3.0	0	4	0	0
3b. K. Dixon	Kinston	1	0	0	6.0	1	5	2	3