Indians 7, A's 3
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians have been waiting for Ubaldo Jimenez to become more consistent, and the big right-hander finally seems to be moving in that direction.
Jimenez pitched 5 2/3 innings and struck out a season-high eight batters as the Indians beat the Oakland A's 7-3 Monday night. Cleveland belted four home runs, two by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.
The win was the Indians' seventh in their last eight games.
Jimenez (2-2) pitched seven scoreless innings in his last start, and he extended the streak to 10 consecutive scoreless innings before giving up a fourth-inning home run to Yoenis Cespedes. Overall, Jimenez allowed two runs on four hits and three walks.
Cleveland's four home runs came in the first five innings as the Indians took a 4-1 lead.
Jimenez held Oakland to one run on two hits through the first five innings, retiring 15 of the 18 batters he faced. However, with Cleveland still ahead 4-1 entering the sixth inning, Jimenez ran out of gas.
John Jaso led off the Oakland sixth with a walk, and he went to third on a single by Seth Smith. Cespedes drove in Jaso with a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 4-2.
Jimenez was removed from the game later in the inning with the bases loaded and two outs. Reliever Nick Hagadone came in and struck out Josh Reddick to end the threat.
Cleveland then blew it open with a three-run seventh inning, two runs coming on a bases-loaded single by Jason Giambi.
Giambi and Michael Brantley each had two hits for the Indians. Brandon Moss went 2-for-4 for Oakland.
The Indians took that 2-0 lead just three batters into the bottom of the first inning. Oakland starter Jarrod Parker retired the first batter he faced, but No. 2 hitter Jason Kipnis belted an 0-1 pitch over the wall in left-center for his third home run.
Asdrubal Cabrera then ripped a 2-2 pitch into the seats in right field for his third home run.
Cleveland stretched its lead to 4-1 in the fifth inning on Cabrera's second home run of the game and a mammoth clout by Mark Reynolds, his 10th of the year, to the top of the bleachers over the left field wall.
NOTES: Prior to the game, the Indians placed RHP Vinnie Pestano on the disabled list due to right elbow tendinitis. To take Pestano's place on the roster, Cleveland recalled Hagadone from Triple-A Columbus. ... RHP Grant Balfour, who didn't pitch Monday, entered the game with a streak of 23 consecutive saves, the third longest streak in Oakland history. ... A's LHP Tommy Milone will go into his start Tuesday night averaging 1.4 walks per nine innings, the fourth-best mark in the American League. RHP Zach McAllister will start for Cleveland.
