The Cleveland Indians avoided their longest losing streak of the season by busting out of their offensive slump.


Justin Masterson could use some support to end his personal skid.

Masterson takes the mound for the Indians on Sunday as they and the Tampa Bay Rays play the deciding contest of their three-game set at Tropicana Field.

The Indians (31-18) beat the Rays 7-3 on Saturday, ending a three-game skid and matching their offensive output from the previous four games combined.

Cleveland scored four runs in the eighth inning to break open a tight game. Asdrubal Cabrera added an RBI triple in the third, giving him 11 hits over his last seven games.

"He's still evolving as a player and maturing overall; he's only 25 years old," manager Manny Acta told the team's official website.

However, Grady Sizemore went 0 for 4 and is hitless in eight at-bats since returning from a bruised right kneecap.

"Grady hasn't played in two weeks so he has to get his timing down a little bit," Acta said. "He'll be (batting down in the lineup) for a few days until he gets his timing down."

Masterson (5-2, 2.50 ERA) has felt the brunt of the Indians' recent offensive woes.

After winning his first five starts, Masterson has gone 0-2 with a 2.80 ERA while receiving minimal run support. Since scoring four runs over Masterson's 6 2/3 innings in his last victory April 26, Cleveland has totaled four runs for the right-hander in five May starts spanning 35 1/3 innings.

He allowed two runs over 7 2/3 innings Monday against Boston and left trailing, before Cleveland rallied for a 3-2 victory.

Masterson will need plenty of support if he pitches against the Rays the way he has in the past. He allowed a season-high five runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 7-4 loss May 12, falling to 1-4 with a 6.62 ERA in six career starts versus Tampa Bay.

Rays manager Joe Maddon batted struggling slugger Evan Longoria at the top of the order Saturday in an attempt to help him break out of a 3 for 25 slump. Longoria responded by going 2 for 4 with a solo homer.

"That was definitely a confidence boost," said Longoria, who typically bats third or fourth but may lead off again Sunday. "Joe usually presses the right buttons."

Losers of six of eight, the Rays (27-24) will look to rookie Jeremy Hellickson (5-3, 3.14) to help get them back on track.

Hellickson had won four straight starts before falling 6-3 to Detroit on Monday. The right-hander allowed two runs through 6 1/3 innings, but got charged with the loss after receiving a lone run of support -- a rarity for a pitcher receiving a major league-high 7.85 runs per nine innings from his offense on the season.

Hellickson has never faced the Indians.

Tampa Bay has won three of five meetings with Cleveland entering this contest, which will conclude the season series.

Cleveland Indians
Hitters AB R H RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG
M Brantley CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282 .347 .395
A Cabrera SS 0 0 0 0 0 0 .303 .362 .537
S Choo RF 0 0 0 0 0 0 .249 .332 .381
T Buck LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 .306 .441
C Santana 1B 0 0 0 0 0 0 .209 .344 .373
G Sizemore DH 0 0 0 0 0 0 .256 .304 .581
O Cabrera 2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 .292 .337
L Marson C 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222 .280 .333
A Everett 3B 0 0 0 0 0 0 .281 .361 .281
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cleveland Indians
Pitchers IP H R ER BB SO HR PC-ST ERA
J Masterson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0 2.50
Tampa Bay Rays
Hitters AB R H RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG
E Longoria 3B 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222 .330 .411
J Damon DH 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271 .312 .431
B Zobrist 2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 .253 .335 .484
M Joyce RF 0 0 0 0 0 0 .374 .434 .639
C Kotchman 1B 0 0 0 0 0 0 .359 .415 .479
B Upton CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 .323 .422
S Fuld LF 0 0 0 0 0 0 .227 .277 .354
J Jaso C 0 0 0 0 0 0 .218 .282 .347
R Brignac SS 0 0 0 0 0 0 .170 .210 .180
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tampa Bay Rays
Pitchers IP H R ER BB SO HR PC-ST ERA
J Hellickson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0 3.14

Marson's offense has been back to normal in the past 3 weeks: 1-15 with one walk. That makes an OPS of .192. I'd be happier with LaPorta in the lineup.

Laporta's good outing yesterday has earned him a day off today.

I've never like Damon......

Boston doing there part, up 3-0 over Detroit in the mid innings.

We need a couple of runs to be doing our part to stretch our division lead.

I read this morning that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are trying to get a movie going of the Fritz Peterson-Mike Kekich wife swap.

Tiggers losing and White Sox losing big already.

A Tribe win, please.

need to get those runs back soon

Buck with a two out double

two on the pond for Grady

much ado about nothing

my feed must be way slow today

No, not necessarily. I have Indy on the main TV with Indy chat on the laptop with music in the background. I have The Tribe on iPhone while monitoring the ESPN boxscore. ESPN declared the half inning over before it was and I just thought my iPhone was delayed.