Rays Of Hope In A 13-2 Triumph

One game does not a season make, though the Indians' 13-2 win Thursday night over Tampa Bay sure beat the previous 10 games. Ben Francisco, David Dellucci, Casey Blake and Shin-Soo Choo all hit homers. Francisco had a career-high four RBI; Dellucci and Blake drove in three apiece; and the Tribe broke its longest losing streak in 29 years at 10 games. Not even the beleaguered bullpen could blow it.

"It felt good, a lot better than what we've been doing. We stunk," Blake frankly said after hitting his ninth homer and a two-run single.

That helped the Indians break their worst losing streak since June of 1979 -- and kept them from dropping 11 in a row for the first time in 77 years.

Aaron Laffey (5-5) gave up a two-run homer to Jonny Gomes to put Cleveland behind.

"When it was 2-0 it felt like 10-0, but the guys came back against the best team in the big leagues," Laffey said.

Laffey gave up only four hits over six innings and earned Cleveland's first win since June 28 -- when C.C. Sabathia shut out Cincinnati.

After being shut out for four innings by Andy Sonnanstine, who grew up in Wadsworth, O., about 45 minutes south of Cleveland, the Indians took a 5-2 lead in a hurry.

Kelly Shoppach hit a one-out single and scored on Dellucci's homer to tie it.

"David gave us some energy and the guys all went out and got it done," manager Eric Wedge said. "They played the way they are capable of playing. They took a good approach at the plate and we got good pitching."

Andy Marte then singled and went to third on a single by Grady Sizemore. Marte scored on a grounder by Jamey Carroll that forced Sizemore at second and the Indians never looked back.

Francisco followed with his eighth homer for a 5-2 lead. Choo opened the sixth with his third homer, chasing Sonnanstine.

Blake homered and hit a two-run single in a seven-run eighth off reliever Gary Glover. Dellucci and Jhonny Peralta had RBI singles and Francisco singled home two more in the inning

Before the game, Wedge held a team meeting in which he more than gently reminded players that they simply need to play better.

"It's nothing they don't know, but I think everybody needs to hear it from time to time," said Wedge. After the win, he said he didn't think his speech had anything at all with the result: "They didn't play that way because of anything I said. They just played like they should."

Dellucci disagreed.

"I love listening to Eric Wedge speak," Dellucci said. "He's awesome. He gets right to the point, with passion, and let's you know where you stand. But he does it in a positive way. Afterwards, we all felt better about ourselves while at the same time knowing why we are where we are in the standings."

The last-place Indians won't get injured Travis Hafner back soon, though right-hander Fausto Carmona, out since May 24 with a strained left hip, may be ready to rejoing the rotation after the All-Star break.

Carmona threw a simulated game and said he felt fine. If the right-hander says he still feels good Friday, the Indians may send him on a minor-league rehab assignment.

Hafner isn't ready for such work, though he expressed hope that he will rejoin the club at some point this season.

"I'm up to about 50 percent strength," Hafner said of his right shoulder. "When I went on the disabled list (May 30), it was zero. I couldn't lift my arm to anything."

Hafner insists he doesn't have a torn rotator cuff and believes that with steady rehab, he should be ready to resume his role in the middle of the Indians' batting order -- and stay there.

"Once I get this done, it shouldn't be a factor again," Hafner said. "It's been a frustrating season all the way around.

"We all had high expectations and one thing or another happened. My injury is weird. But I feel a lot better."

Hafner said he first felt some weakness during spring training, but kept playing. He said he started to feel pain in May and by the end of the month, he was in agony whenever he moved his right arm.