CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Reid Brignac's three-run home run provided all the offense the Tampa Bay Rays needed to beat the Cleveland Indians 4-2 on Sunday.
"It was a good trip," Brignac said. "It was a big win."
The win allows the Rays to complete their nine game road trip with a 5-4 record.
The Indians scored the opening run in the first inning when Michael Brantley drew a lead off walk and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Carlos Santana. The Indians drew to within 3-2 in the bottom of the second as Travis Hafner led off with a single and scored on an RBI by Andy Marte.
The Indians were unable to overcome a fielding error by third baseman Andy Marte in the fifth inning that allowed lead off hitter Jason Bartlett to reach first safely. Bartlett stole second base, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Carl Crawford.
Rays starter Wade Davis won his third consecutive game and improved his record to 8-9, pitching 6.1 innings allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four batters. Rafael Soriano pitched a scoreless ninth inning to collect his 26th save of the season.
"Wade (Davis) really settled in," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "In the beginning, I was a little concerned there. The command was off, he wasn't throwing the ball where he wanted to. Eventually, about the fourth inning, he started throwing harder with better location."
Cleveland failed to convert on scoring opportunities in the final three innings, stranding runners at second and third in both the seventh and eighth innings. The potential tying run flew out to center field for the final out. Cleveland stranded 11 runners in the game compared to just three left on base by the Rays.
(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario. Editing by Ed Osmond)
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