Cleveland, OH – Evan Longoria and Yunel Escobar each slammed two-run homers as the Tampa Bay Rays dismantled the Cleveland Indians, 11-3, to win the rubber match of a three-game series at Progressive Field on Sunday.
Longoria finished with three RBI while James Loney knocked in two. Jose Lobaton, Ryan Roberts and Kelly Johnson each added one RBI apiece for the Rays, who have won seven of their last eight.
"The bottom part (of the lineup) really has contributed a lot," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of his team's recent success. "One through nine we feel pretty good about scoring runs."
Jeremy Hellickson (3-2) yielded three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts over five frames to record the win.
Mike Aviles had a two RBI single and Yan Gomes drove in a the other run for the Indians.
Tampa Bay took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Zach McAllister (4-5) saw his 11 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings come to an end early after Loney hit a two-out, two-run double off the glove of center fielder Michael Bourn.
The Rays added another run in the third, when Joyce worked a walk and later scored on a Longoria slapper to right.
Sam Fuld started off the fourth with a leadoff triple, his second of the season. An infield single by Lobaton brought home the run.
McAllister had his shortest outing of the season, going just 4 1/3 innings, surrendering five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits while walking four.
"I didn't have great command today," McAllister admitted. "I fell behind hitters and put guys on base and when you do that things happen. You give up runs."
The Indians had four straight two-out hits in the fourth to pull within one. Mark Reynolds and Carlos Santana started the rally with singles. Gomes doubled to score the first run then Aviles singled to center to cut Cleveland's deficit to 4-3.
Gomes gave a run back to the Rays in the fifth when he tried to throw out Kelly Johnson stealing third and the ball got past Longoria at third base, allowing Johnson to score.
Escobar's two-run shot to center off Cleveland reliever Nick Hagadone in the sixth gave the Rays a four-run cushion, and Tampa Bay's lead doubled two innings later.
Longoria's homer in the eighth capped off a four run inning for the Rays, which also included a Roberts RBI single and a Johnson sacrifice fly.
Game Notes
Cleveland manager Terry Francona was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing a strike call ... The Indians have won 6 of 11 games started by McAllister ... Joyce has reached base in 30 straight starts, dating back to April 15 at Boston ... Longoria ended a 19-game home run drought with his shot in the eighth inning.
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