CLEVELAND (AP) Abraham Almonte hit his first career grand slam and Josh Tomlin worked into the eighth inning, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 9-2 win over the slumping Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
Almonte's fifth-inning homer off Jered Weaver broke open a close game and sent Cleveland to its fifth straight win.
Weaver (6-10) didn't get much help from his defense. Center fielder Mike Trout and right fielder Kole Calhoun lost catchable fly balls in the sun, leading to five Cleveland runs.
Carlos Santana drove in three runs for the Indians, who trailed Texas by five games for the second AL wild card coming into the day.
The Angels (65-65) have dropped eight of 10 to fall back to .500 for the first time since June 26. Coming into the day, Los Angeles was 2 1/2 games behind the Rangers.
Trout, batting .194 in August going into the game, was 4 for 4 and had an RBI single in the eighth.
Tomlin (3-1) was charged with two runs in seven-plus innings. The right-hander was making his fourth start since coming off the disabled list on Aug. 15 after having shoulder surgery in March.
Cleveland blew open Saturday's game on Yan Gomes' eighth-inning grand slam. The Indians followed a similar script Sunday, with help from shoddy defense for the Angels.
Cleveland had a 2-0 lead when Brantley singled with one out in the fifth. Santana lifted what appeared to be a routine fly ball to right, but Calhoun lost sight of it. The ball fell for a double and Brantley took third.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia went to the mound to talk to Weaver, perhaps to settle down the right-hander. Lonnie Chisenhall was walked intentionally before Almonte delivered with a drive to right-center.
Brantley's RBI double gave Cleveland the lead in the first. Brantley scored when Trout lost Santana's fly ball near the warning track.
Weaver was charged with eight runs in six innings.
Grant Green homered for Los Angeles on the first pitch of the sixth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: 3B David Freese (broken right finger), who is on a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake, likely will be activated when rosters are expanded Tuesday.
Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (sore elbow) will begin a throwing program this week. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 22.
UP NEXT
Angels: LHP Hector Santiago (7-8) starts Monday in the opener of a three-game series in Oakland. He is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA against the Athletics since the beginning of last season.
Indians: RHP Danny Salazar (11-7), who was scratched from Friday's start because of a virus, faces the hard-hitting Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Monday night.
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